Sequencing of rabies binding region on nicotinic acteylcholine receptor alpha subunits in four host species

Abstract

• Rabies virus is known to bind to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchR) • The virus is known to bind to alpha 1 subunits nAchR • The virus binding region has been characterized in alpha 1 subunits of these receptors • Little research has been done on the other alpha subunits • Understanding binding region sequences can help understand virus adaptation to host species • Using primers based on dog sequences, the proposed binding region of alpha subunits were amplified and sequenced • Current Results: • Red fox and dog have nearly identical alpha 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 sequences for the proposed binding region • Arctic fox has nearly identical sequences to dog and red fox in alpha 1, 2, and 6 • Raccoon’s alpha 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 subunits are similar enough to allow for annealing of the dog-based primers in PCR • No clear PCR products were found for skunk DNA • Future goals: • Sequencing five individuals per species • Adding mongoose, bat, and opossum