The NS and capsid genes determine the host range of porcine parvovirus.

Porcine parvovirus is an autonomous parvovirus which normally infects pigs and multiplies in porcine cells in vitro. In this report, we describe the properties of a variant designated P2, which has extended its host range to include canine cells. The variant was able to produce cytopathic effects (CPE) in canine cells, unlike the prototype NADL-2 strain. The variant also produced higher viral antigen and infectivity titers in canine cells than the NADL-2 strain, whereas both strains produced CPE and similar titers in porcine cells. Generation of recombinant plasmids between the P2 variant DNA and an infectious clone of NADL-2, and analysis of the properties of the virus stocks produced from these recombinant plasmids, indicated that two changes were necessary for this extension in the host range. One change was located in the nonstructural protein coding region and the other in the capsid coding region.