Journal of General Virology, Vol 80, 261-268, Copyright © 1999 by Society for General Microbiology

ARTICLES

Novel endogenous retroviral sequences in the chicken genome closely related to HPRS-103 (subgroup J) avian leukosis virus

LM Smith, AA Toye, K Howes, N Bumstead, LN Payne and K Venugopal
Institute for Animal Health, Newbury, Berkshire, UK.

HPRS-103, the prototype of avian leukosis virus (ALV) subgroup J, is a recently identified retrovirus associated with myeloid leukosis in meat- type chickens. Although this virus shows high sequence identity to other ALV subgroups within the gag and pol genes, its env gene is highly diverged (with only about 40% sequence identity) from other ALV subgroups. On the other hand, the sequence of the env gene of HPRS-103 was 75% identical to that of E51, a member of the EAV family of endogenous avian retroviruses. It is reported here that the chicken genome also contains another EAV-related element, EAV-HP, showing much greater sequence identity (over 97%) to the HPRS-103 env gene. Southern blotting analysis showed that EAV-HP-related sequences were distinct from EAV-O and were present in all lines of chicken examined and in grey jungle fowl, but were absent from several other avian species. The potential role of these endogenous sequences in the evolution of ALV subgroup J viruses is discussed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. M. Chesters, L. P. Smith, and V. Nair E (XSR) element contributes to the oncogenicity of Avian leukosis virus (subgroup J) J. Gen. Virol., September 1, 2006; 87(9): 2685 - 2692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sacco, K. Howes, L. P. Smith, and V. K. Nair Assessing the Roles of Endogenous Retrovirus EAV-HP in Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J Emergence and Tolerance J. Virol., October 1, 2004; 78(19): 10525 - 10535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Denesvre, D. Soubieux, G. Pin, D. Hue, and G. Dambrine Interference between avian endogenous ev/J 4.1 and exogenous ALV-J retroviral envelopes J. Gen. Virol., December 1, 2003; 84(12): 3233 - 3238. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. M. Chesters, K. Howes, L. Petherbridge, S. Evans, L. N. Payne, and K. Venugopal The viral envelope is a major determinant for the induction of lymphoid and myeloid tumours by avian leukosis virus subgroups A and J, respectively J. Gen. Virol., October 1, 2002; 83(10): 2553 - 2561. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sacco and K. Venugopal Segregation of EAV-HP Ancient Endogenous Retroviruses within the Chicken Population J. Virol., December 1, 2001; 75(23): 11935 - 11938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. M. Chesters, K. Howes, J. C. McKay, L. N. Payne, and K. Venugopal Acutely Transforming Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J Strain 966: Defective Genome Encodes a 72-Kilodalton Gag-Myc Fusion Protein J. Virol., May 1, 2001; 75(9): 4219 - 4225. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sacco, K. Howes, and K. Venugopal Intact EAV-HP Endogenous Retrovirus in Sonnerat's Jungle Fowl J. Virol., February 15, 2001; 75(4): 2029 - 2032. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. E. Dimcheff, S. V. Drovetski, M. Krishnan, and D. P. Mindell Cospeciation and Horizontal Transmission of Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus gag Genes in Galliform Birds J. Virol., May 1, 2000; 74(9): 3984 - 3995. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sacco, D. M. J. Flannery, K. Howes, and K. Venugopal Avian Endogenous Retrovirus EAV-HP Shares Regions of Identity with Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J and the Avian Retrotransposon ART-CH J. Virol., February 1, 2000; 74(3): 1296 - 1306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]