Sequence conservation in the RNA polymerase gene of infectious bursal disease viruses.

Eleven of thirteen infectious bursal disease viruses (IBDV) were shown to be similar following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of two regions (293 bp and 651 bp cDNA fragments) in genomic segment B and restriction enzyme analysis of the PCR products. Two IBDV strains differed from the eleven viruses when examined by BstEII digestion of the 293 bp PCR product, but all thirteen viruses were similar using the 651 bp cDNA fragment and digestion with AvaI. Because segment B encodes replicating enzyme(s), the results suggest that its sequences may be highly conserved among IBDV isolates.