17th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Construction of a Plasmid Encoding the Untranslated Regions of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus
Jennifer L. Fuller
Dr. Asit K. Pattnaik (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Ms. Ha M. Truong (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), and Dr. Michael Lockhart, Faculty Mentors
Affecting up to 95% of naïve swine populations, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) causes reproductive failure of sows and respiratory distress among piglets. While a live attenuated vaccine is currently being administered, the virus has been shown to revert to virulence in the field. In the interest of developing a new vaccine, the molecular biology of a North American strain of PRRSV was studied. A plasmid encoding the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of the viral genome was constructed for transfection in cell culture. In order to recognize transcription of the plasmid, the DNA sequence for Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein was inserted into the plasmid. Upon transfection, cells expressing the construct would fluoresce, leading to further experiments with the constructed plasmid in PRRSV transcription and replication.
Keywords: PRRSV, EGFP, swine, transcription, replication
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 26-32
Location: OP Lobby & Atrium
Time: 1:15