Genomic heterogeneity of small ruminant lentiviruses: existence of heterogeneous populations in sheep and of the same lentiviral genotypes in sheep and goats

Arch Virol. 1997;142(6):1125-37. doi: 10.1007/s007050050147.

Abstract

We have recently shown that French small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) from sheep are more similar to Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) than to visna maedi virus (VMV) in a conserved region of the pol gene. To extend these results, we have examined sequences from a variable region of the env gene in French SRLV. We found that they were nearly equally distant from both CAEV and VMV strains, suggesting a considerable divergence since the initial introduction of the virus. Analysis of separate clones from individual animals showed that some carry a population of variant viruses. The study of further pol gene sequences from both goats and sheep suggests that viral variants show little or no host species specificity. A phylogenetic tree of pol gene sequences confirmed the presence of a novel genotype of SRLV in France.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Viral
  • Genes, env
  • Genes, pol
  • Genetic Heterogeneity
  • Genome, Viral
  • Genotype
  • Goats
  • Lentiviruses, Ovine-Caprine / classification
  • Lentiviruses, Ovine-Caprine / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Ruminants / virology
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Sheep

Substances

  • DNA, Viral

Associated data

  • GENBANK/U35674
  • GENBANK/U35675
  • GENBANK/U35676
  • GENBANK/U35677
  • GENBANK/U35678
  • GENBANK/U35679
  • GENBANK/U35680
  • GENBANK/U35681
  • GENBANK/U35795
  • GENBANK/U35796
  • GENBANK/U35797
  • GENBANK/U35798
  • GENBANK/U35799
  • GENBANK/U35800
  • GENBANK/U35801
  • GENBANK/U35802
  • GENBANK/U35803
  • GENBANK/U35804
  • GENBANK/U35805
  • GENBANK/U35806
  • GENBANK/U35807
  • GENBANK/U35808
  • GENBANK/U35809
  • GENBANK/U35810
  • GENBANK/U35811
  • GENBANK/U35812
  • GENBANK/U35813
  • GENBANK/U35814
  • GENBANK/U35857
  • GENBANK/U35858