Journal of General Virology

Transcription and identification of an envelope protein gene (p22) from shrimp white spot syndrome virus

Xiaobo Zhang,¹ Canhua Huang,¹ Xun Xu² and Choy L. Hew¹

¹ Department of Biological Sciences and Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260
² Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, The Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, The People's Republic of China

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is one of the most virulent pathogens causing high mortality in shrimp. In the present study, an open reading frame (termed the p22 gene) was revealed from a WSSV cDNA library. The gene was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST) in Escherichia coli and purified. Specific antibody was raised using the purified fusion protein (GST–P22). Temporal analysis showed that the p22 gene was a late gene. After binding between purified WSSV virions and anti-GST–P22 IgG followed by labelling with gold-labelled secondary antibody, the gold particles, under a transmission electron microscope, could be found along the outer envelope of WSSV virions. This experiment suggests that the p22 gene encodes an envelope protein of the virus.

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© 2002 SGM

This article is now available in the September 2001 print issue of JGV (vol. 83, 471–477). The complete issue of the journal may be seen in electronic form on JGV Online.