Comparative analysis of VP1 epitopic variation among different isolates of foot-and-mouth disease virus type-O during an outbreak in the Punjab province of Pakistan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

2 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Lahore College for Woman University, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract
Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a highly transmissible pathogen causing severe economic losses in the global livestock sector. Frequent outbreaks of FMDV type-O in Pakistan highlight the need for continuous genomic and antigenic surveillance to track its evolution. This study aimed to isolate and molecularly characterize FMDV type-O from an outbreak in the Punjab province of Pakistan using in vitro cell culture techniques. Samples were processed for viral isolation on a susceptible cell line, followed by RNA extraction. The VP1 gene, pivotal for antigenicity and immunogenicity, was amplified using a one-step polymerase chain reaction protocol. Purified amplicons underwent sequencing, and the nucleotide sequences were translated into amino acid sequences for further analysis. Protein three-dimensional modeling and in silico comparison were performed against the vaccinal seed strain PanAsia-2. The VP1 sequence analysis revealed notable genetic variability among the isolates, indicating adaptive evolution. Structural and antigenic modeling uncovered key differences between the field isolates and vaccinal strain, suggesting potential antigenic drift, which could undermine vaccine performance. The study underscores the dynamic evolution of FMDV type-O in Pakistan and the critical importance of ongoing genomic monitoring to refine vaccine strategies and enhance outbreak control.

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Volume 16, Issue 11
November 2025
Pages 621-628

  • Receive Date 22 September 2024
  • Revise Date 08 December 2024
  • Accept Date 22 April 2025