Replication kinetics of duck enteritis virus UL16 gene in vitro

BACKGROUND: The function and kinetics of some herpsvirus UL16 gene have been reported. But there was no any report of duck enteritis virus (DEV) UL16 gene. FINDINGS: The kinetics of DEV UL16 gene was examined in DEV CHv infected duck embryo fibroblasts (DEFs) by establishment of real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR) and western-blotting. In this study, UL16 mRNA was transcript at a low level from 0–18 h post-infection (p.i), and peaked at 36 h p.i. It can’t be detected in the presence of acyclovir (ACV). Besides, western-blotting analysis showed that UL16 gene expressed as an apparent 40-KDa in DEV infected cell lysate from 12 h p.i, and rose to peak level at 48 h p.i consistent with the qRT-PCR result. CONCLUSIONS: These results provided the first evidence of the kinetics of DEV UL16 gene. DEV UL16 gene was a late gene and dependent on viral DNA synthesis.