Cloning and Sequence Analysis of 163R and 201R Genes of Camelpoxvirus from Indian Dromedaries (Camelus Dromedarius)

In the present study, skin scabs were collected from a total number of 10 severely affected Dromedarian camels (Camelus dromedarius) maintained by the Border Security Force (BSF) of Bikaner, Rajasthan an, India. Two immunomodulatory protein genes, 163R and 201R of camelpoxvirus (CMLV) were amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction using gene specific primers, followed by cloning and sequencing using the standard experimental protocols. CMLV 163R protein is the orthologue of Vaccinia virus A46R protein possessing the VIPER (viral inhibitory peptide of TLR4) sequence (an 11 amino acid peptide-KYSFKLILAEY) at its α1 helix. The RGD motif necessary for mediating the immunomodulatory mechanism is present in the amino acid sequences of CMLV 201R protein. Sequence analysis of both 163R and 201R genes revealed that CMLV obtained from India shared 100% identity with CMLV-Iran and CMLV-Kazakhstan strains both at DNA and protein level. Based on the nucleotide and amino acid residue sequence identities and phylogenetic analyses of these genes, it is found that CMLV-India is forming a cluster with Kazakhstan and Iranian CMLV isolates.