Non-random deletions in human foamy virus long terminal repeat during viral infection.
We have characterized a new form of human foamy virus (HFV) non-random deleted long terminal repeat (LTR) sizing 1078-bp, deleted in its U3 region, sensitive to the viral transactivator and functional in an infectious proviral clone. Besides two known HFV LTRs of 1260-bp and 1123-bp, this LTR represents the smallest, designed S. Analysis of the LTR sequence shows the presence of short direct repeats surrounding the deletions, suggesting a mechanism generating deletion by misalignment of the growing strand during replication. Our data suggest that the deleted LTRs, preferentially associated with chronic viral infection, could be related with viral persistence.
De Celis-Kosmas
J
J
UPR 9051, CNRS, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.
Coronel
A
A
Grigorian
I
I
Emanoil-Ravier
R
R
Tobaly-Tapiero
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D019556:COS Cells; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011817:Rabbits; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004279:DNA, Viral; D008156:Luciferases