Heterogenost gena BZLF1 i BRLF1 virusa Epstein-Barr u infektivnoj mononukleozi

master's thesis

• Title (english): Heterogeneity of Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 and BRLF1 genes in infectious mononucleosis
• Author: Filip Božić
• Mentor: Snježana Židovec Lepej (mentor)
• Committee member: Snježana Židovec Lepej (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Petra Korać (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Dijana Škorić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Tomislav Ivanković (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-26, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Virus Epstein-Barr (EBV) ili ljudski gamaherpesvirus 4 je sveprisutni DNA-virus koji zaražava više od
90% odraslih osoba diljem svijeta. Akutna infekcija ovim virusom može uzrokovati infektivnu
mononukleozu, a latentna infekcija povezana je s razvojem malignih bolesti čovjeka. Replikacijski
ciklus virusa EBV uključuje litičku i latentnu fazu u B-limfocitima, pri čemu je regulacija reaktivacije
virusa iz latentne faze regulirana ekspresijom vrlo ranih litičkih gena BZLF1 i BRLF1. Preliminarna
istraživanja polimorfizama ovih gena u izolatima virusa EBV iz nekoliko geografskih regija ukazuju na
postojanje geografski ograničenih varijanti i varijanti povezanih s razvojem pojedinih malignih bolesti.
Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je identificirati polimorfizme gena BRLF1 i BZLF1 u akutnoj infekciji EBVom u Hrvatskoj kako bi se proširilo znanje o genskoj varijabilnosti EBV-a na ovom području. U
istraživanju su sekvencirani geni BZLF1 i BRLF1 virusa EBV, a istraživanje je provedeno na modelu
infektivne mononukleoze. Analizom sekvenci detektirane su dvije varijante gena BZLF1, BZLF1-A2 i
BZLF1-C koje su prethodno opisane u literaturi, ali i dva poptuno nova uzorka mutacija gena BZLF1,
odnosno četiri uzorka mutacija gena BRLF1 koji prethodno nisu bili opisani u literaturi. Rezultati ovog
istraživanja pokazali su postojanje novih genskih varijanti EBV-a te ukazuju na potrebu dodatnih
istraživanja istih.

Abstract (english)

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human gammaherpesvirus 4 is a ubiquitous DNA virus that infects more
than 90% of adults worldwide. Acute EBV infection can cause infectious mononucleosis while latent
infection can also lead to the development of malignant diseases in humans. EBV replication cycle in
B-lymphocytes includes lytic and latent stages with periodic reactivation being regulated by the
expression of the very early lytic genes BZLF1 and BRLF1. Preliminary data on polymorphisms of these
two genes suggest the existence of geographically-limited variants as well as possible associaton with
particular malignant diseases associated with EBV infection. The aim of this study was to identify
BRLF1 and BZLF1 gene polymorphisms in acute EBV infection in Croatia in order to expand the
knowledge on the genetic variability of EBV in this region. The study was performed by using infecious
mononucleosis as a model and it involved sequencing of the BZLF1 gene and the subterminal and
terminal regions of the BRLF1 gene. Sequence analysis detected two previously defined variants of the
BZLF1 gene (BZLF1-A2 and BZLF1-C), as well as two and four mutation patterns of the BZLF1 and
BRLF1 genes respectively, that have not been described previously. The results of this study have shown
the existence of new EBV gene variants leading to new research opportunities in this field.

• Keywords: litički ciklus; sekvenciranje; varijante gena
• Keywords (english): lytic cycle; sequencing; gene variants
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:940014
• Study programme: Title: Molecular Biology; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra molekularne biologije (magistar/magistra molekularne biologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access; Embargo expiration date: 2024-09-26
• Created on: 2023-10-16 10:08:24