MOLECULAR GENETIC COMPARISON OF MORBILLIVIRUSES THAT HAVE CAUSED EPIZOOTICS IN BAIKAL SEALS (Phoca sibirica) AND CASPIAN SEALS (Phoca caspica)

摘要

The nucleotide sequences of a fragment of a phosphoprotein gene of canine distemper virus (CDV) were determined by the OT-PCR method followed by sequencing of the amplicons with total RNAs isolated from two samples from Caspian seals, 15 samples from Baikal seals, and also from brain specimens of dogs and sea lions. A phylogenetic analysis of them was performed. Heterogeneity of the virus circulating in the population of Baikal seals was demonstrated. It was shown that the morbillivirus that caused an epizootic in Caspian seals is a variant of CDV, the phosphoprotein gene structure of which does not differ on the portion analyzed from the corresponding gene of the most widespread variant of the virus of Baikal seals. On the basis of the data obtained, it is suggested that morbilliviruses may be transmitted by birds during seasonal migrations.