Identification and characterization of two closely related unclassifiable endogenous retroviruses in pythons (Python molurus and Python curtus).

ABSTRACT: Boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) is a fatal disorder of boid snakes that is suspected to be caused by a retrovirus. In order to identify this agent, leukocyte cultures (established from Python molurus specimens with symptoms of BIBD or kept together with such diseased animals) were assessed for reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. Virus from cultures exhibiting high RT activity was banded on sucrose density gradients, and the RT peak fraction was subjected to highly efficient procedures for the identification of unknown particle-associated retroviral RNA. A 7-kb full retroviral sequence was identified, cloned, and sequenced. This virus contained intact open reading frames (ORFs) for gag, pro, pol, and env, as well as another ORF of unknown function within pol. Phylogenetic analysis showe

SUBMITTER: Huder JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC136364 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature