A primate T-lymphotropic virus, PTLV-L, different from human T-lymphotropic viruses types I and II, in a wild-caught baboon (Papio hamadryas).
Searching for clues to the evolution of the primate T-lymphotropic viruses (PTLVs), which include the human and the simian T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV and STLV), we have identified another PTLV, which differs sufficiently from the known PTLV-I and PTLV-II types to be designated here PTLV-L. The virus was isolated from a wild-born baboon (Papio hamadryas) from Eritrea. In a cDNA library a 1802-bp-long fragment was identified that extends from the env region, including the complete transmembrane protein gene, to part of the tax/rex gene. Homologies at the nucleotide sequence level of PTLV-L, prototype simian T-lymphotropic virus-PH969, with HTLV-I and -II, respectively, were 62% and 64% overall, 65% and 70% in the env region, and 80% and 80% in the partial tax/rex sequence. In the 5' part of the pX region a significant homology was seen only with HTLV-II (52%). Phylogenetic analysis based on the gene encoding the transmembrane protein indicates that PTLV-L represents a PTLV type with a long independent evolution, longer than any strain within the PTLV-I or PTLV-II groups. The finding of another PTLV type in African baboons is further evidence of the wide variety of PTLV found on this continent. Whether PTLV-L resembles PTLV-I and PTLV-II in the extension of its host range to other primates, including humans, remains to be seen.
Goubau
P
P
Department of Microbiology, Rega Institute and University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
Van Brussel
M
M
Vandamme
A M
AM
Liu
H F
HF
Desmyter
J
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D016355:Genes, pX / Q000235:genetics; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010215:Papio / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014776:Virus Cultivation
D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies