Polymorphism analysis of human cytomegalovirus UL148 gene in low passage clinical isolates / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To investigate the polymorphism of human cytomegalovirus UL148 gene in low passage clinical isolates and to study the relationship between the polymorphism and different pathogenesis of congenital HCMV infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PCR was performed to amplify the entire HCMV UL148 gene region of 38 clinical isolates, which had been proven containing detectable HCMV-DNA by using FQ-PCR.PCR amplification products were sequenced directly and the sequence data were analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventeen of 38 isolates were amplified successfully. By comparison with Toledo sequence, the length of UL148 ORFs in all 17 clinical isolates was similar to that of Toledo. Amino acid variability rate of UL148 protein was 0.3%-2.3%. There were additional or deleted sites of posttranslational modification of UL148 protein in all clinical isolates.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>All DNA and deduced amino acid sequences of UL148 gene shared great similarity among HCMV clinical strains regardless of their polymorphism.</p>