Identification of a feline leukemia virus variant that can use THTR1, FLVCR1 and FLVCR2 for infection.

Shalev, Z., Duffy, S.P., Adema, K., Prasad, R., Hussain, N., Willett, B.J. and Tailor, C.S. (2009) Identification of a feline leukemia virus variant that can use THTR1, FLVCR1 and FLVCR2 for infection. Journal of Virology, 83(13), pp. 6706-6716. (doi: 10.1128/JVI.02317-08)

Abstract

The pathogenic subgroup C feline leukemia virus (FeLV-C) arises in infected cats as a result of mutations in the envelope (Env) of the subgroup A FeLV (FeLV-A). To better understand emergence of FeLV-C, and potential FeLV intermediates that may arise, we characterized FeLV Env sequences from the primary FY981 FeLV isolate previously derived from an anemic cat. Here, we report the characterization of the novel FY981 FeLV Env that is highly related to FeLV-A Env but whose VRA receptor recognition sequence partially resembles the VRA sequence from the prototypical FeLV-C/Sarma Env. Pseudotype viruses bearing FY981 Env were capable of infecting feline, human and guinea pig cells, suggestive of a subgroup C phenotype, but also infected porcine ST-IOWA cells that are normally resistant to FeLV-C, and to FeLV-A. Analysis of the host receptor used by FY981 suggests that FY981 can use both the FeLV-C receptor FLVCR1, and the feline FeLV-A receptor THTR1 for infection. However, our results suggest that FY981 infection of ST-IOWA cells is not mediated by the porcine homologue of FLVCR1 and THTR1 but by an alternative receptor, which we have now identified as the FLVCR1-related protein FLVCR2. Together, our results suggest that FY981 FeLV uses FLVCR1, FLVCR2 and THTR1 as receptors. Our findings suggest the possibility that pathogenic FeLV-C arise in FeLV infected cats through intermediates that are multi-tropic in their receptor use.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Willett, Professor Brian
• Authors: Shalev, Z., Duffy, S.P., Adema, K., Prasad, R., Hussain, N., Willett, B.J., and Tailor, C.S.
• Subjects: Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology; S Agriculture > SF Animal culture > SF600 Veterinary Medicine
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: Journal of Virology
• Journal Abbr.: J. Virol.
• ISSN: 0022-538X
• ISSN (Online): 1098-5514