title: Genetic characterization of small ruminant lentivirus in Italian mixed flocks: evidence for a novel genotype circulating in a local goat population.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grego
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertolotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention, Veterinary Services, Animal Health Division, ASL n. 19, Asti, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quasso
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Profiti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lacerenza
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Virology, Diskapi, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muz
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia, Ecologia, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosati
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins