Genetic characterization of small ruminant lentivirus in Italian mixed flocks: evidence for a novel genotype circulating in a local goat population.
In this study, characterization of the gag gene of small ruminant lentiviruses was carried out in Italian mixed flocks. The nearly complete gag gene was amplified and sequenced. Within genotype A, subtype A1 and a novel subtype, A8, were found in goats, and another novel subtype, A9, was found in both sheep and goats. Subtype B1 was found in both host species and subtype B2 was identified only in sheep. A novel, highly divergent sequence was obtained from goats in two epidemiologically related flocks and is proposed to represent a novel genotype, E. Major epitopes of matrix and capsid antigen were highly divergent, suggesting that serological identification of animals infected with genotype E may have been missed by using currently available diagnostic tests. A recombinant subunit ELISA, based on genotype E-specific epitopes, was developed and a third independent flock carrying this genotype was identified, based on serology.
Grego
Elena
E
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
Bertolotti
Luigi
L
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
Quasso
Antonio
A
Department of Prevention, Veterinary Services, Animal Health Division, ASL n. 19, Asti, Italy.
Profiti
Margherita
M
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
Lacerenza
Daniela
D
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
Muz
Dilek
D
Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Virology, Diskapi, Ankara, Turkey.
Rosati
Sergio
S
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D006041:Goats / Q000821:virology; D007558:Italy; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012703:Serotyping; D012756:Sheep / Q000821:virology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins