Construction and Characterization of Recombinant Marek’s Disease Virus CVI988 Expressing the E. coli LacZ Gene
Abstract: The LacZ gene controlled under the Marek’s disease virus (MDV) glycoprotein B (gB) promoter was excised from plasmid pSK-gB-LacZ and inserted into US10 gene. Two plasmids were constructed, pUS-gB-LacZ(L)and pUS-gB-LacZ(U)),which differ with regard to the orientation of the expression cassette. Then pUS-gB-LacZ(L)was transfected into secondary Chicken embryo fibroblasts (secondary CEF) cells and super-infected with the MDV CVI988 strain. The recombinant virus (rCVILacZ) expressing the lacZ gene was isolated and purified in secondary CEF. The growth curve of rCVILacZ was similar to that of the parent virus in CEF.