Virus and host genes involved in re-programming of macrophage transcription in response to high and low virulence African swine fever virus isolates.

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We showed previously that transcription of macrophage immunomodulatory genes initially increases following infection with a high virulence African swine fever virus (ASFV)isolate, but returns to equivalent levels as in uninfected cells at later times during infection. In contrast transcription levels of some host defence genes remains elevated at late times following infection with a low virulence isolate. We will investigate if virus genes that are known not to be expressed by the low virulence isolate but are expressed by the high virulence isolate, are involved in suppressing host immunomodulatory gene transcription. To do this we will use virus deletion mutants and express these virus genes individually in macrophages infected with a low virulence isolate. We will study expression of cell surface and secreted proteins encoded by genes that are differentially expressed in ASFV infected macrophages to gain an understanding of their potential role in pathogenesis and activation of host responses.