The Multigene Family Genes-Encoded Proteins of African Swine Fever Virus: Roles in Evolution, Cell Tropism, Immune Evasion, and Pathogenesis
Ruojia Huang,
Rui Luo,
Jing Lan,
Zhanhao Lu,
Hua-Ji Qiu,
Tao Wang,
Yuan Sun
Affiliations
Ruojia Huang
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Rui Luo
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Jing Lan
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Zhanhao Lu
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Hua-Ji Qiu
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Tao Wang
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Yuan Sun
State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-Reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
African swine fever virus (ASFV), the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF), poses a catastrophic threat to global swine industries through its capacity for immune subversion and rapid evolution. Multigene family genes (MGFs)-encoded proteins serve as molecular hubs governing viral evolution, immune evasion, cell tropism, and disease pathogenesis. This review synthesizes structural and functional evidence demonstrating that MGFs-encoded proteins suppress both interferon signaling and inflammasome activation, while their genomic plasticity in variable terminal regions drives strain diversification and adaptation. Translationally, targeted deletion of immunomodulatory MGFs enables the rational design of live attenuated vaccines that improve protective efficacy while minimizing residual virulence. Moreover, hypervariable MGFs provide strain-specific signatures for PCR-based diagnostics and phylogeographic tracking, directly addressing outbreak surveillance challenges. By unifying virology with translational innovation, this review establishes MGFs as priority targets for next-generation ASF countermeasures.
