Transcript Analysis of White spot syndrome virus Latency and Phagocytosis Activating Protein Genes in Infected Shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

Viral latency has been recently observed to be associated with White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in shrimp. In the present study, shrimp samples (Penaeus monodon) surviving WSSV infection were examined for presence of WSSV in latent phase. Virus latency was observed in shrimp which were either experimentally challenged with WSSV and survived the infection or those which survived the natural infection. Three viral transcripts (ORFs 427, 151, 366) associated with latency were analyzed by real-time PCR. The shrimp surviving the natural WSSV infection on estimation with RT-PCR were found to have low grade of WSSV infection (less than 56 copies of WSSV). All the shrimp samples were RT-PCR negative for structural protein genes of WSSV, VP24 and VP28, indicating that these samples were harboring latent phase virus. RT-PCR of all the shrimp samples which survived WSSV infection revealed amplification of phagocytosis activating protein (PAP) gene (435 bp) with higher gene expression levels in experimentally challenged shrimp when compared to naturally infected shrimp. The expression of PAP in WSSV infected shrimp samples indicates its possible role in host response for resistance against WSSV infection. PAP was cloned and expressed as recombinant protein for protection studies. Shrimp were injected with three doses (5, 15 and 20 mu g g(-1) body weight) of recombinant PAP. Relative percent survival of 10 % was observed in shrimp immunized with the dose of 15 mu g g(-1) body weight of recombinant PAP. The expression of both WSSV latency associated and PAP genes obtained from shrimp surviving the WSSV infection, indicates the possible role of these genes in host-pathogen interaction.