Etically divergent bornaviruses infect psittacine birds suffering from proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a fatal disease characterized by a lymphocytic, plasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate of central and peripheral nervous tissues [8,9]. These newly identified bornaviruses, avian bornavirus (ABV), have been confirmed to be a causative agent of PDD and also seem to infect in non-psittacine species, such as canaries (Serinus canaria) and Canada geese (Branta canadensis) [10,11]. In addition, we recently detected sequences with significant sequence homology with the BDV nucleoprotein (N), X, and phosphoprotein (P) genes in a cDNA library LY2409021 manufacturer derived from a Bitis gabonica(Gaboon viper) venom gland [12]. Because the genome DNA of Bitis gabonica seemed to not contain such BDV-like sequences, we have determined that the sequences are derived from an exogenous reptile bornavirus (RBV). The heterogeneity of ABV isolates appears to be significantly higher than that of BDV and, to date, at least nine genotypes have been identified by phylogenetic analyses [8?1,13,14]. LED 209 chemical information Furthermore, intriguingly, some genotypes of ABV seem to be more closely related genetically to BDV than other ABV [15]. Although infectious isolates have not yet been derived from many ABV genotypes, the comparison of the biological characteristics among the genotypes, including BDV and RBV, could provide a better understanding of the evolution, alteration of host range and the inter-vertebrate transmission of bornaviruses. Sequence analyses of non-mammalian bornaviruses revealed an interesting feature in the sequence between the N and X genes, which contains the region corresponding to the 59 untranslated region (59 UTR) of BDV X/P mRNA expressing both the X and P proteins (Figure 1). This region in ABV genotypes 2 and 4 (ABV2 and ABV4) lacks 22 nucleotides (nt) found in BDV isolates. Furthermore, we showed that 1531364 RBV also contains a 21 nt deletionConserved Interaction of Bornavirus Proteinsin the corresponding region [12]. On the other hand, it has been shown recently that ABV from Canada geese (ABVCG) has an almost full-length 59 UTR in this region, similar to BDV [15]. This suggests that ABVCG is much more closely related to BDV evolutionarily than are ABV2/4 and RBV. In a previous study, we have shown that the 59 UTR of BDV X/P mRNA harbors regulatory sequences, such as a predicted stem-loop structure and a short upstream ORF (uORF) (Figure 1), that control the translation of the X protein [16]. The sequence variability in the 59 UTR of these genotypes, therefore, may account for differences in the translation efficiency of X. In addition, BDV X is considered to regulate the viral polymerase activity by controlling the intranuclear amount of P through the direct interaction with P [16,17]. These observations suggest that comparison of the function of the X and P proteins among various genotypes may provide interesting insights into the evolutionary relationship of bornaviruses. In this study, we investigated the functional interaction between X and P among various vertebrate bornaviruses, which differ in the length of the putative 59 UTR of X/P mRNA [12,15,18]. We show here conservation of the ability of the X protein of vertebrate bornaviruses to facilitate export of P from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via its interaction with P. Furthermore, we show that inter-genotypic interactions may occur between X and P, with the exception of the X protein of RBV. In addition, a BDV min.Etically divergent bornaviruses infect psittacine birds suffering from proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a fatal disease characterized by a lymphocytic, plasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate of central and peripheral nervous tissues [8,9]. These newly identified bornaviruses, avian bornavirus (ABV), have been confirmed to be a causative agent of PDD and also seem to infect in non-psittacine species, such as canaries (Serinus canaria) and Canada geese (Branta canadensis) [10,11]. In addition, we recently detected sequences with significant sequence homology with the BDV nucleoprotein (N), X, and phosphoprotein (P) genes in a cDNA library derived from a Bitis gabonica(Gaboon viper) venom gland [12]. Because the genome DNA of Bitis gabonica seemed to not contain such BDV-like sequences, we have determined that the sequences are derived from an exogenous reptile bornavirus (RBV). The heterogeneity of ABV isolates appears to be significantly higher than that of BDV and, to date, at least nine genotypes have been identified by phylogenetic analyses [8?1,13,14]. Furthermore, intriguingly, some genotypes of ABV seem to be more closely related genetically to BDV than other ABV [15]. Although infectious isolates have not yet been derived from many ABV genotypes, the comparison of the biological characteristics among the genotypes, including BDV and RBV, could provide a better understanding of the evolution, alteration of host range and the inter-vertebrate transmission of bornaviruses. Sequence analyses of non-mammalian bornaviruses revealed an interesting feature in the sequence between the N and X genes, which contains the region corresponding to the 59 untranslated region (59 UTR) of BDV X/P mRNA expressing both the X and P proteins (Figure 1). This region in ABV genotypes 2 and 4 (ABV2 and ABV4) lacks 22 nucleotides (nt) found in BDV isolates. Furthermore, we showed that 1531364 RBV also contains a 21 nt deletionConserved Interaction of Bornavirus Proteinsin the corresponding region [12]. On the other hand, it has been shown recently that ABV from Canada geese (ABVCG) has an almost full-length 59 UTR in this region, similar to BDV [15]. This suggests that ABVCG is much more closely related to BDV evolutionarily than are ABV2/4 and RBV. In a previous study, we have shown that the 59 UTR of BDV X/P mRNA harbors regulatory sequences, such as a predicted stem-loop structure and a short upstream ORF (uORF) (Figure 1), that control the translation of the X protein [16]. The sequence variability in the 59 UTR of these genotypes, therefore, may account for differences in the translation efficiency of X. In addition, BDV X is considered to regulate the viral polymerase activity by controlling the intranuclear amount of P through the direct interaction with P [16,17]. These observations suggest that comparison of the function of the X and P proteins among various genotypes may provide interesting insights into the evolutionary relationship of bornaviruses. In this study, we investigated the functional interaction between X and P among various vertebrate bornaviruses, which differ in the length of the putative 59 UTR of X/P mRNA [12,15,18]. We show here conservation of the ability of the X protein of vertebrate bornaviruses to facilitate export of P from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via its interaction with P. Furthermore, we show that inter-genotypic interactions may occur between X and P, with the exception of the X protein of RBV. In addition, a BDV min.
