Expression of bovine leukemia virus p24 protein in bacterial cell

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a member of the family Retroviridae, genus Deltaretrovirus that has three important gene including gag, pol and env. This virus causes B-cell lymphocytosis and lymphosarcoma in cows. In the first step PCR product of gag gene of BLV isolated in different regions of Iran and BLV-FLK strain were cloned in to a pTZ57R/T vector, then insert were digested by BglII and XhoI restriction enzymes and cloned in to pET-28(a) as an expression vector. For the expression of p24 protein, the pET-28(a) recombinant vector was transformed in BL21(DE3) strain of E. coli competent cell and after induction of the protein having been expressed by IPTG, the presence of gag expressed protein was shown in immunoblotting and SDS-PAGE system. With respect to the remarkable frequency of infection to BLV in Iran and the necessity of controlling it through vaccination with recombinant vaccines of gp51, manufacturing and applying the recombinant p24 protein are vital goals in recognition and distinction between infection and responses caused by vaccine.H. Momtaz, F. Hemmatzadeh and H. Keyvanfa

PCR for detection of Ovine Herpesvirus-2 in cow and sheep of Iran

Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF) is one the most important viral diseases of livestock. Aetiologically, there are 2 forms of the disease, one is associated with Alcelaphine Herpes Virus-1 (AlHV-1) of the wildebeests and the other (SA-MCF) is associated with Ovine Herpes Virus-2 (OvHV-2). In order to detect the epidemiological condition of the disease (Ovine herpes virus-2 in cattle and sheep) in Iran, we collected 100 whole blood samples from clinically ill cattle with MCF, healthy cattle and sheep (more than one year-old). The specimens undergone PCR method in several stages. The 1st stage was performed by pair primers 556 and 775. The reviced a result a band of 422 DNA base pair in 100% of infected cattle and sheep and 75% in healthy cattle. In the 2nd stage, using pair primers 556 and 555, in the Semi-nested PCR, 3 bands of base pairs 238, 340 and 420 of DNA were traced in the specimens. It is noteworthy, that the specimens colleted from sheep and clinically infected cattle with MCF, had all three bands and the healthy cattle specimens had only the 2 DNA band of 420 and 340, which were belonged to OvHV-2 genome.Hassan Momtaz, Farhid Hemmatzadeh, Hadi Keyvanfar and Behnam Abbasia