Perspective of using the recombinant DNA-technology to control the spread of the African swine fever

The causative agent of ASF is a large deoxyvirus that has been assigned to Asfarviridae family. Previous studies have shown that ASFV p54 and p30 are essential viral proteins involved in the early steps of viral infection, whereas the adsorption of ASFV to susceptible cells is mediated by the structural virus protein p12, located within the outer envelope of the virion. It is believed that the lack of efficient ASFV vaccines might be due to unique molecular and biological properties of ASFV proteins responsible for virus–cell interactions: p30, p54 and p12. In this report, we describe the effect of in vitro blockage of ASF virus–cell interactions mediated by p54, p30 and p12. Computer analysis of p54 gene sequences of different ASFV field strains form GenBank was performed. According to this analysis ASFV viruses were distributed in several groups matching their serotype classification developed at our institute earlier. Immunization of rabbits with recombinant p54, p12 or p30 proteins induced antibodies which inhibited virus attachment or internalization. The serum of rabbits immunized with p54 of Magadi strain prevented virus attachment of Magadi group viruses only. In contrast, the serum from rabbits immunized with p30 (Magadi strain) rendered an in vitro inhibition of different ASFV groups replication.