title: E5 nucleotide polymorphisms suggest quasispecies occurrence in BPV-1 sub-clinically infected horses.
abstract: BPV-1 is known as the main causative agent of equine sarcoid, but the virus has also been detected in skin and blood of healthy horses. Previous reports demonstrated the presence of E5 variants in sarcoids of donkeys and horses; we investigated whether this genetic variability might be also found in BPV-1, PBMC associated, of sub-clinically infected horses. With this aim, we analyzed the E5 gene of 21 BPV-1 strains from diseased and sub-clinically infected horses. Our analyses lead us to demonstrate that multiple sequence variants can be present in the blood of sub-clinically infected horses, with alternative bases corresponding to either synonymous or non-synonymous codons in the E5 oncogene sequences. The results give support to the proposed existence of "equine adapted" BPV-1 strains with the occurrence of viral variants, resembling quasispecies, in clinically healthy horses with viremia.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Savini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Federica
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallina
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Gallina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laura
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prosperi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Prosperi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alice
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battilani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Battilani
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mara
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bettini
authors.forename: Bettini
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences-Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: alessand.scagliarini@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scagliarini
authors.forename: Scagliarini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alessandra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052688:Bovine papillomavirus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; C054304:oncogene protein E5, Bovine papillomavirus type 1
keywords: Bovine papillomavirus; Horse; Oncoprotein; Quasispecies; Sarcoid