title: Molecular characterization of the env gene from Brazilian field isolates of Bovine leukemia virus.
abstract: Molecular characterization of Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) isolates from Brazil using the env gene sequences revealed a high conservation of this gene. In most cases the substitutions corresponded to silent transitions. In addition, cystein residues, potential glycosylation sites, neutralization domains and other critical residues involved with the envelope structural domains and viral infectivity were conserved. Most of the substitutions found in the aminoacid sequences of the gp51 protein were localized in the G and H epitopes. Using the SIFT software, it was predicted that they should not alter the protein functions. Phylogenetic analyses showed that partial or complete env gene sequences grouped in three or four phylogenetic clusters, respectively. The sequences from the Brazilian isolates had similar mutation rates as compared to samples from other countries, and belonged to at least two phylogenetic clusters.
authors.affiliation: Setor de Virologia do Laboratório Nacional Agropecuário de Minas Gerais, Av. Rômulo Joviano s/n Caixa Postal 50, Pedro Leopoldo, MG, Brasil CEP. 33.600-000. mfcamargos@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Marcelo Fernandes
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Camargos
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereda
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stancek
authors.forename: Maurílio Andrade
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Jenner Karlisson Pimenta
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: dos Reis
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Greiser-Wilke
authors.forename: Rômulo Cerqueira
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D015752:Genes, env; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes