molecular characterization of recent iranian infectious bronchitis virus isolates based on s2 protein gene

Background: avian infectious bronchitis (ib), with avianinfectious bronchitis virus (ibv) as the causing agent, is a ubiquitous endemicdisease of the chicken with devastating effects on its industry. a viralmembrane surface protein called s  notonly induces neutralizing antibodies but also plays an important role in virusbinding and entry to host cells. technically, s1 protein gene sequencing alsohelps greatly in ibv genotyping. objectives: the aim of this study wasto characterize iranian ibv based on s2 gene. methods: after rtpcramplification, the s2 gene of nine iranian ibv isolates were sequenced and thencompared with reference strains. results: the isolates were classifiedinto genotype i as massachusetts like ib vs, genotype vii which clustered intotwo branches, viia (is1494 like ib viruses), and viib, and was related to qxlike viruses and genotype viii as 793/b like ibvs. conclusions: as faras we know, this is the first s2based classification study on iranian ibvisolates providing a firm experimental basis to correlate with genotypiccharacterization