Restriction fragment analysis of fowlpox virus using Bgl I, Bam HI, Hha I and Sma I restriction endonucleases.

Fowlpox virus vaccine strain and two field isolates collected from out breaks of disease were purified from cell culture using sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. The viral DNAs were digested with Bgl I, Bam HI, Hha I and Sma I restriction endonucleases and the fragment pattern was analysed on 0.7% agarose gel. Bgl I digestion produced 54 fragments of size ranging from 31.50 to 0.60 kb, having similar electrophoretic mobilities in both the vaccine strain and two field isolates. Only 9 well resolved and one unresolved or partially digested fragment were obtained after Bam HI digestion. A total number of 29 and 41 fragments were obtained with Hha I and Sma I respectively. Almost similar restriction fragment pattern was observed in vaccine strain and the field isolates. The total genomic size was calculated to be between 265.00 and 302.91 kb. The three viruses were found to be genetically similar.