Oligonucleotide fingerprint analysis on Japanese encephalitis virus strains after passage histories

Genetic variation in Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus strains after various passage histories was examined by oligonucleotide fingerprints of the 42S genome RNA. The results indicated that genome changes occurred during passages of new virus isolates through cell lines or mouse brains, especially at earlier passage level in order to adapt quickly to different hosts. However, the changes were not sufficient to explain strain differences observed among fingerprints of various isolates.