Molecular analysis of US10, S3, and US2 in duck enteritis virus

A 4554-bp fragment was amplified from the DEV C-KCE vaccine strain by single oligonucleotide nested polymerase chain reaction with partially known sequences for the DEV US1 and US10 genes. Three open reading frames containing the genes encoding US10, S3, and US2 were predicted using the Editseq program (DNAStar). The S3 and US2 genes have the same transcription orientation but are oriented head-to-head with respect to US10. The promoters and polyadenylation signals were predicted. Two poly A sequences were predicted in S3, but none were predicted in US2. These results provide partial sequence of US region for the physical map of the DEV genome. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the DEV C-KCE strain is more closely related to Mardivirus in the alphaherpesvirus subfamily of the Herpesviridae.