Molecular characterization of the env gene from Brazilian field isolates of Bovine Leukemia Virus

• Published in: Virus genes Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 343 - 350
• Main Authors: Camargos, Marcelo Fernandes, Pereda, Ariel, Stancek, Daniel, Rocha, Maurílio Andrade, Reis, Jenner Karlisson Pimenta dos, Greiser-Wilke, Irene, Leite, Rômulo Cerqueira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States New York : Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers 01-06-2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Bovine leukemia virus; Brazil; Cattle; Deltaretrovirus; DNA Restriction Enzymes - metabolism; env gene; Genes, env; Leukemia Virus, Bovine - genetics; Leukemia Virus, Bovine - isolation & purification; Molecular characterization; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogenetic analysis; Phylogeny; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Brazil
• ISSN: 0920-8569; 1572-994X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11262-006-0011-x

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.