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Complete genome analysis of a rabies virus isolate from Brazilian wild fox

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Abstract

The complete genome sequence of wild-type rabies virus (RABV) isolated from a wild Brazilian hoary fox (Dusicyon sp.), the BR-Pfx1 isolate, was determined and compared with fixed RABV strains. The genome structure and organization of the BR-Pfx1 isolate were composed of 11,924 nt and included the five standard genes of rhabdoviruses. Sequences of mRNA start and stop signals for transcription were highly conserved among all structural protein genes of the BR-Pfx1 isolate. All amino acid residues in the glycoprotein (G) gene associated with pathogenicity were retained in the BR-Pfx1 isolate, while unique amino acid substitutions were found in antigenic region I of the nucleoprotein gene and III of G. These results suggest that although the standard genome structure and organization of the RABV isolate are common between the BR-Pfx1 isolate and fixed RABV strains, the unique amino acid substitutions in functional sites of the BR-Pfx1 isolate may result in different biological characteristics from fixed RABV strains.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the Academic Frontier Project for Private Universities from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan and a grant for Research on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nihon University Veterinary Research Center, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-8510, Japan

    Nobuyuki Mochizuki, Yuki Kobayashi, Takuya Itou & Takeo Sakai

  2. Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan

    Go Sato

  3. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Center of Health and Rural Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraiba, Brazil

    Alberio Antonio Barros Gomes

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universtiátria, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil

    Fumio Honma Ito

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  1. Nobuyuki Mochizuki
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Correspondence to Takuya Itou.

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Mochizuki, N., Kobayashi, Y., Sato, G. et al. Complete genome analysis of a rabies virus isolate from Brazilian wild fox. Arch Virol 154, 1475–1488 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-009-0475-9

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