Research Article | Animal Biotechnology

UL0.5 Gene of Bovine Herpesvirus 1: A Promising Epidemiological Marker

College of Animal Biotechnology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab

Abstract

Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) is widely distributed across the globe and associated with reproductive as well as respiratory tract problems in bovines. It leads to multiple clinical manifestations viz. pustular vulvovaginitis, abortion, and mastitis in cows; balanoposthitis in bulls, tracheitis, conjunctivitis, and encephalitis apart from fatality to newborn calves. BoHV-1 is can be divided into three subtypes i.e. BoHV-1.1, 1.2a, and 1.2b. Present study was aimed at characterizing UL0.5 gene of BoHV-1 in silico and to elucidate its scope as a potential DNA-based epidemiological marker. In this study, 31 UL0.5 gene coding sequences of BoHV-1 available in the online database were retrieved and analyzed using bioinformatic tools including multiple sequence alignment, pairwise distance, selection pressure, phylogenetic analysis, etc. On phylogenetic analysis, a distinct subtype-specific clustering of BoHV-1.1 and BoHV-1.2 was observed. Further, the taxa had experienced the least selection pressure for UL0.5 gene. This study has identified execution of positive selection pressure upon a few taxa during the process of evolution. The findings of the present study indicated the need for complete genome-based analysis of BoHV-1 strains circulating worldwide to know the evolutionary pattern and to identify suitable vaccine candidates.

Main Article