Comparison of complete polyprotein sequences of two isolates of salmon alphavirus (SAV) type I and their behaviour in a salmonid cell line.

Salmon pancreas disease virus is an alphavirus (family Togaviridae) affecting mainly Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Both polyprotein sequences of the Scottish isolate (SAV4640) were determined and compared with those of Irish isolate SAVF93-125.

Genotype-specific Taqman® assays for the detection and rapid characterisation of European strains of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus.

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) is the agent of a disease that causes mortality events in marine and freshwater fish. It is one of the most important pathogens in European rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) aquaculture. Four major genotypes of the virus are recognised reflecting different geographic and host ranges.

Development and validation of a range of endogenous controls to support the implementation of practical Taqman real-time PCR-based surveillance for fish diseases within aquaculture.

The use of Taqman real-time PCR-based technology has recently become more frequent in the detection of pathogens in the aquaculture industry. This interest has necessitated the development of robust and reliable pathogen-detection assays. The development of a range of endogenous control assays to be run alongside these diagnostic assays works to further increase confidence in the latter.

Application of a sensitive, specific and controlled real-time PCR assay to surveillance indicates a low prevalence of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in wild herring, Clupea harengus L., in Scottish waters.

Surveillance data on the distribution of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in the North Sea (UK), targeting Atlantic herring in areas with previous virus detection, were obtained from research cruises conducted during 2005. The sensitive molecular approach of real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was applied alongside a newly developed endogenous positive control assay specific for herring (elongation factor 1α) to ensure integrity of template. Three hundred and five pools from 1937 individual herring were tested, and no evidence of VHSV in association with wild Atlantic herring was detected.

Requirement of the proteasome for the trimming of signal peptide-derived epitopes presented by the nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule HLA-E.

The nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule HLA-E acts as a ligand for CD94/NKG2 receptors on the surface of natural killer cells and a subset of T cells. HLA-E presents closely related nonameric peptide epitopes derived from the highly conserved signal sequences of classical major histocompatibility complex class I molecules as well as HLA-G. Their generation requires cleavage of the signal sequence by signal peptidase followed by the intramembrane-cleaving aspartic protease, signal peptide peptidase.