Studies on the molecular mechanisms for Marek's disease virus to increase its virulence in the field

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To clarify the molecular mechanisms for Marek's disease virus (MDV) to increase its virulence, several viral genes of MDV strains recently isolated from the field were analyzed. Diversities/polymorphisms were identified in one of the MDV genes, meq, that could be potentially related to the increase in MDV virulence. When we analyzed the effects of these diversities/polymorphisms in the meq gene on the functions of the meq gene product (Meq), the amino acid substitutions resulted from the diversities/polymorphisms significantly altered the transactivation and transforming activities of Meq. These findings suggest that the diversities/polymorphisms in the meq gene could contribute to the recent increase in MDV virulence in the field.