Abstract
Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J (ALV-J), a retrovirus of avian, has caused enormous economics losses to poultry industry around the world. Polysaccharides from marine algae are featured diversity bioactivities. To find the potential effect to prevent ALV-J spread, in this study, polysaccharides from Ulva pertusa (UPPs) and four low molecular weight (Mw) U. pertusa polysaccharides (LUPPs) were prepared and their functions on ALV-J were investigated. Firstly, LUPPs were obtained by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidative degradation. The effects of degradation conditions on Mw of the UPP were also investigated. Results showed that the H2O2 oxidative degradation method could degrade UPP effectively, and the degradation was positively related to H2O2 concentration and temperature and negatively to pH. The chemical characteristics of UPP and LUPPs were also determined. Afterwards, the anti-ALV-J activity of the polysaccharides were carried out in vitro. Results showed that UPP and LUPPs could inhibit ALV-J and LUPP-3 and Mw of 4.3 kDa exerted the strongest suppression. The action phase assay showed that LUPP-3 could bind with the viral particles and prevented ALV-J adsorption onto the host cells. And the ALV-J relative gene and gp85 protein expression were significantly suppressed after being administration with LUPP-3. Therefore, the low Mw polysaccharides from U. pertusa have great potential as an anti-ALV-J drug alternative.