A genetic study of the Bunyamwera complex of the genus Bunyavirus (family : Bunyaviridae)

The Bunyamwera group of arthropod-borne viruses is one or the 13 serological groups that make up the genus, Bunyavirus of the family Bunyaviridae. There are 19 serologically distinct viruses in the Bunyamwern group and these have been subdivided into five, on the basis of greater antigenic similarity, as follows; the Bunyamwera Complex, the Wyeomyia Complex, Main Drain virus, Kairi virus and Guarda virus. The Bunyarnwera Complex contains 12 of these 19 viruses and the three viruses used in the genetic studies reported in this thesis represent the span of antigenic variation in the complex, The bunyaviruses , in general, are negitive-strand RNA viruses with three unique single-stranded genome segments (L,M and S) of total molecular weight, 4-6x106 daltons. There are four virus structural proteins two of which are nonglycosylated and are designated L (large) and N (nucleocapsid). The other two, G1 and G2, are glycosylated proteins located in the viral envelope. This thesis consists of a description of genetic interaction between three members of the Bunyamwera Complex and demonstrates that recombination by reassert-ment of genome segments occurs in the Bunyamwera Complex. The three viruses studied, Batai virus, Bunyamwera virus and Maguari virus, originated from three different continents - Asia, Africa and South America respectively - with no recognised overlap in their distribution. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.