"Ménage à Trois": the evolutionary interplay between JSRV, enJSRVs and domestic sheep

Armezzani, A., Varela, M., Spencer, T., Palmarini, M. and Arnaud, F. (2014) "Ménage à Trois": the evolutionary interplay between JSRV, enJSRVs and domestic sheep. Viruses, 6(12), pp. 4926-4945. (doi: 10.3390/v6124926)

Abstract

Sheep betaretroviruses represent a fascinating model to study the complex evolutionary interplay between host and pathogen in natural settings. In infected sheep, the exogenous and pathogenic Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) coexists with a variety of highly related endogenous JSRVs, referred to as enJSRVs. During evolution, some of them were co-opted by the host as they fulfilled important biological functions, including placental development and protection against related exogenous retroviruses. In particular, two enJSRV loci, enJS56A1 and enJSRV-20, were positively selected during sheep domestication due to their ability to interfere with the replication of related competent retroviruses. Interestingly, viruses escaping these transdominant enJSRVs have recently emerged, probably less than 200 years ago. Overall, these findings suggest that in sheep the process of endogenization is still ongoing and, therefore, the evolutionary interplay between endogenous and exogenous sheep betaretroviruses and their host has not yet reached an equilibrium.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Palmarini, Professor Massimo and Armezzani, Miss Alessia and Arnaud, Mr Frederick and Varela, Dr Mariana
• Authors: Armezzani, A., Varela, M., Spencer, T., Palmarini, M., and Arnaud, F.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: Viruses
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 1999-4915
• ISSN (Online): 1999-4915
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Viruses 6(12):4926-4945
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
41281	3	Endogenous retroviruses and placental morphogenesis	Massimo Palmarini	National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)	S070005	MVLS III - CENTRE FOR VIRUS RESEARCH