Short Communication Novel virus-encoded microRNA molecules expressed by ovine herpesvirus 2-immortalized bovine T-cells

Moredun Research Institute, International Research Centre, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik,Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UKA number of herpesviruses have now been shown to encode microRNAs (miRNAs) that haveroles in control of both viral and cellular gene expression. Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) is thecausative agent of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever, a fatal lymphoproliferative diseaseof cattle. Using massively parallel sequencing and Northern hybridization we have identified eightputative miRNAs encoded by OvHV-2 expressed in an OvHV-2-immortalized bovine lymphocytecell line. These eight miRNAs are encoded in two areas of the OvHV-2 genome that contain nopredicted protein coding regions and show no sequence similarity with other herpesvirus orcellular miRNAs. This represents the first report of the expression of virally encoded miRNAs in thegenus Macavirus of herpesviruses.