Identification of the cell surface receptor for the aleutian disease parvovirus

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Mink ranching is a multi-million dollar industry in Canada with the bulk of the pelts exported to buyers worldwide. Canadian mink pelts are prized internationally for their premium quality. The mink industry, in general, is concentrated in areas where other agricultural activities are impeded by soil and/or climatic constraints. This is particularly true of Nova Scotia, which produces approximately one half of Canada's mink pelts, and where the industry's use of fish and other animal by-products helps the local economy without putting pressure on the available resources. The primary disease threat to the mink industry in Canada and worldwide, at this time, is the Aleutian disease virus which continues to impact mink ranching despite an extensive, costly monitoring program. The objective of this study is the identification of the receptor protein that the Aleutian disease virus uses to enter susceptible cells in the mink. Identification of the viral receptor protein is intended to provide new fundamental information to serve as the basis for a long term solution to the Aleutian disease problem.