G-Protein-Coupled Chemokine Receptor Gene in Lumpy Skin Disease Virus Isolates from Cattle and Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Egypt

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), sheep poxvirus (SPV) and goat poxvirus (GPV) are the most serious poxviruses of ruminants. In this study, we analysed the G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) genes of LSDV isolates from cattle and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Egypt during the summer of 2011. Multiple alignments of the nucleotide sequences revealed that the water buffalo LSDV isolate differed from the cattle isolate at four nucleotide positions, and both isolates had nine nucleotide mutations from the reference strain, Egyptian tissue culture-adapted cattle LSDV/Ismailyia88 strain. Compared with the GPCR sequences of SPV and GPV strains, a 21 nucleotide insertion and a 12 nucleotide deletion were identified in the GPCR genes of our used isolates and other LSDVs. The amino acid sequences of GPCR genes of our isolates contained the unique signature of LSDV (A₁₁ , T₁₂ , T₃₄ , S₉₉ and P₁₉₉ ). Phylogenetic analyses showed that the GPCR genes of cattle and water buffalo LSDVs were closest genetically, indicating a potential transmission of cattle LSDV to water buffalo.

Keywords: Egypt; G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor gene; lumpy skin disease virus; polymerase chain reaction; sequencing analysis; water buffalo.