Rectal swabs and blood samples were collected from 5- to 11-month-old infant rhesus macaques that were seropositive (RhCMV+, n = 29) or seronegative (RhCMV−, n = 38) for RhCMV. Animals were co-housed in outdoor corrals; samples were collected from all available animals in the correct age range at the time of sampling, without selection. Rectal swabs were stored in RNAlater™ Storage Solution (Sigma-Aldrich) at −70 °C until DNA extraction. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by gradient density purification using Lymphocyte Separation Medium (MP Biomedicals, LLC), and then washed in medium containing fetal bovine serum and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) before cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen prior to analysis. Stool samples were also collected from a separate longitudinal study in which 24 adult female indoor-housed RhCMV-negative rhesus macaques were vaccinated with a RhCMV 68-1-based vaccine vector [31 (link)]. Baseline samples were collected 2 weeks prior to vaccination, and post-vaccination samples were collected 3 weeks post vaccination.
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