The ITR regions play a significant role in modulating viral pathogenicity demonstrated by the reverse genetics system of a novel goose parvovirus.

Novel Goose Parvovirus (NGPV) a variant of goose parvovirus, induces typical short beak and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS) in Cherry Valley ducks. Clinically, SBDS is characterized by an atrophied and shortened beak, a protruding tongue, brittle and fracture-prone bones, and growth retardation. The Goose parvovirus genome harbors complex inverted repeat sequences (ITRs) at both ends of the genome. Currently, direct evidence elucidating the role of the ITR region in viral pathogenicity remains limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of goose parvovirus. In this study, we established a reverse genetics operating system for NGPV and successfully constructed and rescued two strains that differ exclusively in the ITR region at either genome terminus via transfection into duck embryos. Comparative pathogenicity analyses revealed distinct virulence profiles between the two rescued strains. This reverse genetic manipulation system provides an operational platform for studying goose parvovirus in the molecular biology, vaccine development, diagnosis, function of structural domains, and disease pathogenesis.