Intracellular interference of infectious bursal disease virus

A search for dominant-negative mutant polypeptides hampering infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) replication has been undertaken. We have found that expression of a mutant version of the VP3 structural polypeptide known as VP3/M3, partially lacking the domain responsible for the interaction with the virus-encoded RNA polymerase, efficiently interferes with the IBDV replication cycle. Transformed cells stably expressing VP3/M3 show a significant reduction (up to 96%) in their ability to support IBDV growth. Our findings provide a new tool for the characterization of the IBDV replication cycle and might facilitate the generation of genetically modified chicken lines with a reduced susceptibility to IBDV infection.