The antiretroviral activity of APOBEC3 is inhibited by the foamy virus accessory Bet protein.

ABSTRACT: Genome hypermutation of different orthoretroviruses by cellular cytidine deaminases of the APOBEC3 family during reverse transcription has recently been observed. Lentiviruses like HIV-1 have acquired proteins preventing genome editing in the newly infected cell. Here we show that feline foamy virus (FFV), a typical member of the foamy retrovirus subfamily Spumaretrovirinae, is also refractory to genome deamination. APOBEC3-like FFV genome editing in APOBEC3-positive feline CRFK cells only occurs when the accessory FFV Bet protein is functionally inactivated. Editing of bet-deficient FFV genomes is paralleled by a strong decrease in FFV titer. In contrast to lentiviruses, cytidine deamination already takes place in APOBEC3-positive FFV-producing cells, because edited proviral DNA genomes a

SUBMITTER: Lochelt M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1142374 | biostudies-literature | 2005 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature