title: Neurovirulence of polytropic murine retrovirus is influenced by two separate regions on opposite sides of the envelope protein receptor binding domain.
abstract: Changes in the envelope proteins of retroviruses can alter the ability of these viruses to infect the central nervous system (CNS) and induce neurological disease. In the present study, nine envelope residues were found to influence neurovirulence of the Friend murine polytropic retrovirus Fr98. When projected on a three-dimensional model, these residues were clustered in two spatially separated groups, one in variable region B of the receptor binding site and the other on the opposite side of the envelope. Further studies indicated a role for these residues in virus replication in the CNS, although the residues did not affect viral entry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Dr, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 708031, USA. petersonka@niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: Karin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pourciau
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lacasse
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pathmajeyan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: Mavis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agbandje-McKenna
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wehrly
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chesebro
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins