Construction of infectious feline foamy virus genomes: cat antisera do not cross-neutralize feline foamy virus chimera with serotype-specific Env sequences.
Full-length genomes of the feline foamy virus (FFV or FeFV) isolate FUV were constructed. DNA clone pFeFV-7 stably directed the expression of infectious FFV progeny virus indistinguishable from wild-type, uncloned FFV isolate FUV. The env and bel 1 genes of pFeFV-7 were substituted for by corresponding sequences of the FFV serotype 951 since previous studies implicated a defined part of FFV Env protein as responsible for serotype-specific differences in serum neutralization (I. G. Winkler, R. M. Flügel, M. Löchelt, and R. L. P. Flower, 1998. Virology 247: 144-151). Recombinant virus derived from chimeric plasmid pFeFV-7/951 containing the hybrid env gene and the parental clone pFeFV-7 were used for neutralization studies. By means of a rapid titration assay for FFV infectivity, we show that progeny virus derived from plasmid pFeFV-7 was neutralized by FUV- but not by 951-specific antisera, whereas pFeFV-7/951-derived chimeric virus was neutralized by 951-specific antisera only. Both recombinant proviruses will be useful for repeated delivery of foreign genes for therapeutic gene applications into cats.
Zemba
M
M
Forschungsschwerpunkt Angewandte Tumorvirologie, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, 69009, Germany.
Alke
A
A
Bodem
J
J
Winkler
I G
IG
Flower
R L
RL
Pfrepper
K
K
Delius
H
H
Flügel
R M
RM
Löchelt
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002415:Cats; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015752:Genes, env; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C074061:bel1 protein, Human foamy virus