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Pseudorabies virus latency: restricted transcription.
J R Lokensgard1, D G Thawley, T W Molitor
1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul.
Archives of Virology
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) gene expression during infection was studied. Latently infected swine showed limited viral transcription, primarily from the immediate-early (IE) gene.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Pseudorabies virus (PRV) establishes lifelong infections in swine, typically latent in neuronal tissues.
- Understanding PRV gene expression during acute and latent phases is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the transcriptional activity of PRV during acute and latent infection stages in swine trigeminal ganglia.
- To identify specific viral genes expressed during latency.
Main Methods:
- Utilized radiolabeled cloned PRV sequences (over 80% of the genome) for hybridization.
- Performed in situ hybridization on nucleic acids from trigeminal ganglia of acutely and latently infected swine.
Main Results:
- During acute infection, all tested PRV sequences hybridized to viral RNA and DNA.
- During latency, transcription was restricted to a specific region, including the immediate-early (IE) gene.
- Viral DNA was undetectable in latently infected neurons using in situ hybridization.
Conclusions:
- PRV latency involves restricted gene expression, primarily focused on the IE gene.
- This IE gene transcription during latency is conserved among alpha-herpesviruses.
- PRV DNA is not actively transcribed or detectable in latently infected neurons.