The cloning of full-length genome segments 2, 5, 6, and 8 of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 and studies of their genetic relatedness to United States BTV serotypes.

The double-stranded (ds) RNA genome segments 2, 5, 6, and 8, which encode the outer capsid proteins P2 and P5, and the two nonstructural proteins, NS1 and NS2, respectively, of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 have been cloned into pBR322. The length of the cloned genes indicates that the entire respective dsRNA genome has been cloned in each case. The four cloned genes were used as 32P-labeled probes to hybridize to PAGE-separated United States BTV serotypes 2, 10, 11, 13, and 17. Of these, the segment 6 clone was identified as being highly conserved and hybridized to all serotypes. Segment 8 was less conserved and segment 5 even less. The segment 2 clone was serotype specific. None of the probes hybridized with dsRNA from epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV).