The UL49.5 gene of most herpesviruses is conserved and encodes glycoprotein N. However, the UL49.5 protein of duck enteritis virus (DEV) (pUL49.5) has not been reported. In the current study, the DEV pUL49.5 gene was first subjected to molecular characterization. To verify the predicted intracellular localization of gene expression, the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-C1/pUL49.5 was constructed and used to transfect duck embryo fibroblasts. Next, the recombinant plasmid pDsRed1-N1/glycoprotein M (gM) was produced and used for co-transfection with the pEGFP-C1/pUL49.5 plasmid to determine whether DEV pUL49.5 and gM (a conserved protein in herpesviruses) colocalize. DEV pUL49.5 was thought to be an envelope glycoprotein with a signal peptide and two transmembrane domains. This protein was also predicted to localize in the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum with a probability of 66.7%. Images taken by a fluorescence microscope at different time points revealed that the DEV pUL49.5 and gM proteins were both expressed in the cytoplasm. Overlap of the two different fluorescence signals appeared 12 h after transfection and continued to persist until the end of the experiment. These data indicate a possible interaction between DEV pUL49.5 and gM.
Animals ; Ducks/virology ; Genes, Viral/genetics ; Mardivirus/*genetics ; Membrane Glycoproteins/*genetics ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics

Riemerella anatipestifer is a pathogen that mainly infects ducks, gooses, turkeys and other birds, causing septicemia and serositis. At present, the function of R. anatipestifer genes are studied by gene deletion and complementation. However, the shuttle plasmid pLMF03 used at present is inefficient for conjugation. Moreover, less restriction enzyme site can be used for cloning. It is not able to use for all the genes complementation. To solve this disadvantage, the conjugative transfer site, R. anatipestifer replication initiation gene, high expression promoter and a number of enzyme cutting sites were cloned into the plasmid pPM5, to generate the new shuttle plasmid pFY02. The shuttle plasmid pFY02 was stable in R. anatipestifer and had a high conjugative transfer efficiency. The R. anatipestifer tonB2 mutant strain could be complemented by shuttle plasmid pFY02 expressing tonB2, indicating that the shuttle plasmid can be used to the complementation of R. anatipestifer. Taken together, the new shuttle plasmid pFY02 constructed in this study replenishes the genetic tool for complementation.