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The thymidylate synthase gene of Hz‐1 virus: A gene captured from its lepidopteran host
Author(s) -
Chen HongHwa,
Tso DanJu,
Yeh WenBin,
Cheng HsienJen,
Wu TingFeng
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1046/j.0962-1075.2001.00289.x
Subject(s) - thymidylate synthase , biology , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , virus , phylogenetic tree , atp synthase , genetics , virology , fluorouracil , chemotherapy
The sequence analysis of a thymidylate synthase gene was identified in the Hz‐1 virus Hin dIII‐D fragment. The viral thymidylate synthase gene encodes a protein of 295 amino acids, and is closely related to that of insect, mammals and herpesvirus. The thymidylate synthase gene identified was a genuine viral gene in that it was only detected in cells infected with Hz‐1 virus but not in the mock infected cells, by Southern blot analysis and by RT‐PCR. Results of phylogenetic analysis based on non‐synonymous and amino acid distances suggested that the TS gene of Hz‐1 virus was grouped closely with that of Bombyx mori . High bootstrap values confirmed that the thymidylate synthase of Hz‐1 virus was acquired by a capture event from its lepidopteran host. Results of both sequence divergences and phylogenetic analysis suggested that TS genes in insect viruses, Hz‐1, CIV, and MsEPV may have a different history or originated from different capture events.