Sequence Analysis of S Segment of Rift Valley Fever Virus Used for Vaccine Production in Egypt

RVF virus is a member of the genus Phlebovirus, belongs to the Bunyaviridea family, RVFV is an enveloped virus with a diameter of 90 to 110 nm and a core element of 80 to 85 nm. The viral genome consists of single-stranded, segmented tripartited RNA, among which the large (L) and medium (M) segments are negative polarity, and the small (S) segment is ambisense polarity. The RNA of S segment of ZH501VSVRI was extracted then it converts to cDNA and ampilified by Conventional PCR. Electrophoresis of PCR product was done. The DNA band was sliced from the gel and purified followed by sequencing. The resultant sequence was aligned with those of previously characterized RVF viruses by using Bioedit program which revealed three nucleotide substitutions and these lead to presence of three mutations in translating amino acid in non-structure S protein (Ns S).