The Genetic Characterization of a Novel Natural Recombinant Pseudorabies Virus in China

We sequenced the complete genome of the pseudorabies virus (PRV) FJ epidemic strain, and we studied the characteristics and the differences compared with the classical Chinese strain and that of other countries. Third-generation sequencing and second-generation sequencing technology were used to construct, sequence, and annotate an efficient, accurate PRV library. The complete FJ genome was 143,703 bp, the G+C content was 73.67%, and it encoded a total of 70 genes. The genetic evolution of the complete genome and some key gene sequences of the FJ strain and PRV reference strains were analyzed by the maximum likelihood (ML) method of MEGA 7.0 software. According to the ML tree based on the full-length genome sequences, PRV FJ strain was assigned to the branch of genotype II, and it showed a close evolutionary relationship with PRV epidemic variants isolated in China after 2011. The gB, gC, gD, gH, gL, gM, gN, TK, gI, and PK genes of the FJ strain were assigned to the same branch with other Chinese epidemic mutants; its gG gene was assigned to the same branch with the classic Chinese Fa and Ea strains; and its gE gene was assigned to a relatively independent branch. Potential recombination events were predicted by the RDP4 software, which showed that the predicted recombination sites were between 1694 and 1936 bp, 101,113 and 102,660 bp, and 107,964 and 111,481 bp in the non-coding region. This result broke the previously reported general rule that pseudorabies virus recombination events occur in the gene coding region. The major backbone strain of the recombination event was HLJ8 and the minor backbone strain was Ea. Our results allowed us to track and to grasp the recent molecular epidemiological changes of PRV. They also provide background materials for the development of new PRV vaccines, and they lay a foundation for further study of PRV.

Automated summary

This study sequenced the complete genome of the pseudorabies virus (PRV) FJ epidemic strain and compared it with other strains. The findings revealed differences between FJ strain and classical Chinese strain, as well as provided insights into the recombination events of PRV. The results have important implications for molecular epidemiology and vaccine development.