A broadly applicable method to characterize large DNA viruses and adenoviruses based on the DNA polymerase gene.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many viral pathogens are poorly characterized, are difficult to culture or reagents are lacking for confirmatory diagnoses. We have developed and tested a robust assay for detecting and characterizing large DNA viruses and adenoviruses. The assay is based on the use of degenerate PCR to target a gene common to these viruses, the DNA polymerase, and sequencing the products.

Results

We evaluated our method by applying it to fowl adenovirus isolates, catfish herpesvirus isolates, and largemouth bass ranavirus (iridovirus) from cell culture and lymphocystis disease virus (iridovirus) and avian poxvirus from tissue. All viruses with the exception of avian poxvirus produced the expected product. After optimization of extraction procedures, and after designing and applyi

SUBMITTER: Hanson LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1459111 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature