Viral protein 1 sequence analysis of three infectious bursal disease virus strains: a very virulent virus, its attenuated form, and an attenuated vaccine

Comparisons between sequences of very virulent, and attenuated strains of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) may indicate sites on the genome coinciding with virulence. In an attempt to detect if such sites exist on the coding region of segment B, viral protein 1 (VP1) (encoded for by segment B) of a very virulent Israeli virus, IL3; its attenuated strain, IL4; and the attenuated Winterfield vaccine 2512 were cloned and sequenced. A comparison was made among them and with six other published sequences of segment B. Six nucleic acids distinguished between IL3 and IL4, three of which were predicted to be expressed as amino acids. A striking similarity between the VP1 sequences of 2512 and P2 (an attenuated German strain) was discovered. Although conclusions could not be drawn concerning attenuation sites on VP1, the analysis performed on the VP1 sequences of the two Israeli strains and the Winterfield 2512 strain sheds light on the phylogeny of IBDV and contributes to the accumulating information that may lead to the identification of virulence-related sites of this virus.