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PCR-based cloning and immunocytological titration of infectious porcine endogenous retrovirus subgroup A and B.

Two pig endogenous retroviruses (PERV), PERV-A and -B, productively infect human cells and are therefore considered to constitute a potential risk in pig-to-human xenotransplantation. A PCR-based cloning technique to isolate infectious PERV proviruses was established. Overlapping 3' half and 5' halves of PERV proviral genomes were amplified using DNA extracted from human 293 cells infected with PERV-A or -B. These clones were fused at a unique restriction site in the overlapping region and tested for their infectivity. Representative constructs possessed the same infectious properties as their parent isolates. We also developed a polyclonal anti-PERV serum by using recombinant PERV capsid protein derived from one of the infectious constructs as immunogen and established an immunocytological method for detection and titration of PERV infection. This detection method proved to be more sensitive than the current method of choice (transfer of MLV-lacZ vectors) for infectivity assessment of PERV. These findings should be considered for future characterization of PERV isolates.

Animals↗

Nucleotide sequence and genome organization of biologically active proviruses of the bovine immunodeficiency-like virus.

The complete nucleotide sequences and translations of major open reading frames (ORF) of two distinct, infectious, proviral molecular clones (106 and 127) of the bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV), obtained from a single virus isolation, were determined and compared. The genomes of BIV 127 and 106 are 8482 and 8391 nucleotides (nt), respectively, in the form predicted for the viral RNA. The structural organization of the genomes of BIV 127 and 106 are identical to one another and most similar to that of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviruses. In addition to gag, pol, and env genes, the BIV genome contains five short ORFs between and overlapping pol and env in the "central region," a hallmark of the lentiviruses which is believed to play an important role in their pathogenesis. Three of the short ORFs in the central region of BIV have been identified by location and structural similarity to the nonstructural/regulatory genes (vif, tat, and rev) of other lentiviruses; we also discovered two unique ORFs, termed W and Y, which may serve as exons for novel genes. BIV does not have the nef gene found in primate lentivirus genomes. The proviral LTR of BIV 127 is 589 nt, contains regulatory signals for initiation, enhancement, and termination of viral transcription, and has sequences related to the Sp1 and NF-kappa B binding sites. A major deletion (87 nt) in the env gene and 2 minor deletions (2 nt each) in the R regions of the LTRs account for the smaller size of clone 106. Numerous point mutations were also present; some caused coding substitutions that were most prevalent in the env encoding ORF. These data suggest that, within a single virus isolate, BIV displays extensive genomic variation. These infectious clones of BIV represent well-defined tools with which to analyze the function of the various ORFs and to dissect the molecular mechanisms of replication and pathogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cotransfection of HIV-1 molecular clones with restricted cell tropism may yield progeny virus with altered phenotype.

Seven infectious molecular clones were obtained from a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolate with rapid/high replicative capacity. Biological characterization of progeny viruses obtained after transfection of clones into peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed that six clones yielded virus with restricted cell tropism, whereas one clone yielded virus able to replicate in cell lines. Although transfection of each of the clones 12, 13, and 82 individually gave rise to viruses with restricted tropism, viruses recovered from cotransfection of the mixtures of these clones exhibited altered phenotype, inasmuch as they were able to replicate in cell lines. To test whether recombination and/or complementation has taken place in the mixture of clones 12 + 13 + 82, the progeny virus was diluted to end point in 15 parallel series. Viruses with diverse biological phenotypes were recovered. With the help of distinctive restriction enzyme markers in regions comprising the vpu/env junction and variable regions 4 and 5 (V4/V5) of the env gene, recombinant genotypes could be identified with high frequency. No particular biological phenotype could be linked to a certain genotype in this study. The results show that different coexisting variants may interact and thereby influence the biological phenotype of a viral population.

Base Sequence↗

Evidence that developmentally regulated control of gene expression by a parvoviral allotropic determinant is particle mediated.

An infectious molecular clone of the immunosuppressive strain of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice [MVM(i)] was constructed deriving left-hand terminal sequences from a rare encapsidated plus strand. Progeny virus was shown to package the same proportions of plus and minus strands as did authentic MVM(i) virions. Rescue of virus from this clone also resulted in the repair of a 21-base truncation at the junction between the right-hand end of the viral insert and the vector and generated the same heterogeneous 5' end as is present in standard MVM(i) DNA. Progeny virus rescued by transfection of this clone into mouse cell lines displayed the lymphotropic phenotype characteristic of the parental MVM(i) virus from which it was derived. However, analysis of viral RNA from transfected mouse fibroblasts revealed that the MVM(i) and MVM(p) genomic clones are transcribed at the same low level. Furthermore, transfected fibroblasts yielded similar numbers of infectious centers regardless of which MVM clone was introduced. These results contrast markedly with the different infectivities of MVM(i) and MVM(p) particles and with the observation that viral transcription in fibroblasts productively infected with MVM(p) virions is 100-fold greater than that seen in the restrictive MVM(i) particle-mediated infection. These results suggest that the developmentally regulated intracellular factors controlling host cell susceptibility at the level of viral transcription interact with a component of the incoming viral capsid, rather than with a sequence within the viral DNA.

Animals↗

Efficient rescue of infectious bursal disease virus from cloned cDNA: evidence for involvement of the 3'-terminal sequence in genome replication.

To study the mechanism of replication of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), and to determine factors on the IBDV RNA which are involved in viral replication, we used cloned full-length cDNA of both the A- and B-segments to generate infectious IBDV. Infectious IBDV was rescued from plasmids that contained full-length IBDV cDNA behind a T7 promoter, by transfecting these plasmids into cells which were infected with a recombinant Fowlpox virus that expressed T7 RNA polymerase. By using the cDNA transfection system we evaluated the effect of the length of the 3' terminus of the A-segment plus strand of IBDV. Although wild-type IBDV predominantly contains four cytosines at the 3' terminus, no difference in virus yield was found when virus was rescued from cDNAs containing three to six adjacent cytosines. When the 3' terminus was shorter than three cytosines the efficiency to generate infectious IBDV from cDNA was reduced, but IBDV could still be recovered reproducibly. The rescued viruses from cDNAs containing 3'-terminal deletions appeared to have a restored 3'-terminal sequence. The missing nucleotides are probably restored by using complementary bases of a stem-loop structure as template.

Animals↗

Cloning of herpesviral genomes as bacterial artificial chromosomes.

Herpesviruses, which are important pathogens for both animals and humans, have large and complex genomes with a coding capacity for up to 225 open reading frames (ORFs). Due to the large genome size and the slow replication kinetics in vitro of some herpesviruses, mutagenesis of viral genes in the context of the viral genome by conventional recombination methods in cell culture has been difficult. Given that mutagenesis of viral genes is the basic strategy to investigate function, many of the herpesvirus ORFs could not be defined functionally. Recently, a completely new approach for the construction of herpesvirus mutants has been developed, based on cloning of the virus genome as a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) in E. coli. This technique allows the maintenance of viral genomes as a plasmid in E. coli and the reconstitution of viral progeny by transfection of the BAC plasmid into eukaryotic cells. Any genetic modification of the viral genome in E. coli using prokaryotic recombination proteins is possible, thereby allowing the generation of mutant viruses and facilitating the analysis of herpesvirus genomes cloned as infectious BACs. In this review, we describe the principle of cloning a viral genome as a BAC using murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), a mouse model for gammaherpesvirus infections, as an example.

Animals↗

Infectivity and in vitro mutagenesis of monomeric cDNA clones of citrus exocortis viroid indicates the site of processing of viroid precursors.

Monomeric cDNA clones of citrus exocortis viroid (CEV) were constructed in the plasmid vector pSP6-4 and the infectivity of the clones plus in vitro-synthesized RNA transcripts determined by inoculation onto tomato seedlings. Infectivity was dependent on the site of the viroid molecule used for cloning and the orientation of the cDNA insert. Only the plus BamHI cDNA clone was infectious and produced progeny viroid with wild-type sequence at the region corresponding to the BamHI cloning site. Infectivity correlated with the terminal repetition of 11 nucleotides of viroid sequence, 5'GGATCCCCGGG 3', in the vector adjacent to the insert. The 11-nucleotide sequence lies within the highly conserved central region of viroids. Site-directed mutagenesis of a single nucleotide in the repeat at the 5'-end of the CEV insert to 5' GGATCCCC(T,A)GG 3' gave two point mutants. The two mutant CEV inserts, when excised from the vector, were not infectious. However, plasmid DNA and RNA transcripts from non-excised mutant CEV inserts were infectious. The progeny of one of these clones was examined and contained wild-type sequence. It was concluded that in vivo processing of longer-than-unit-length CEV occurs at one of three adjacent sites in the 11 nucleotide sequence and that the G nucleotide at position 97 is important for viroid replication.

Base Sequence↗

High frequency of isolation of defective human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and heterogeneity of viral gene expression in clones of infected U-937 cells.

Limiting-dilution techniques were employed to derive single-cell clones from U-937 cells that had been chronically infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1. All clones thus obtained were positive for the presence of viral antigens; however, not all of the clones produced infectious progeny virus, as detected by the presence of reverse transcriptase (RT) activity in culture fluids. Six of these clones were monitored over time to determine whether their phenotype of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 expression was stable. Three clones maintained production of RT activity at a high level and showed a very high percentage of cells positive for viral p24 antigen, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence. The other three clones showed variations in either their levels of RT activity or the number of cells positive for p24, after which they stabilized. Infectious virus could be recovered from only three clones, as assessed by coculture experiments with different cell types. Two other clones were shown to produce noninfectious viruses. Molecular analyses at the DNA, RNA, and protein levels showed extensive variations between the viral isolates recovered from each clone.

Blotting, Northern↗

In vitro assembled, recombinant infectious bronchitis viruses demonstrate that the 5a open reading frame is not essential for replication.

Molecular clones of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), derived from the Vero cell adapted Beaudette strain, were constructed, using an in vitro assembly method. In vitro transcribed RNA from a cDNA template that had been constructed from seven cDNA fragments, encompassing the entire genome of IBV, was electroporated into BHK-21 cells. The cells were overlaid onto the susceptible Vero cells and viable virus was recovered from the molecular clone. The molecularly cloned IBV (MIBV) demonstrated growth kinetics, and plaque size and morphology that resembled the parental Beaudette strain IBV. The recombinant virus was further manipulated to express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) by replacing an open reading frame (ORF) of the group-specific gene, ORF 5a, with the EGFP ORF. The rescued recombinant virus, expressing EGFP (GIBV), replicated to lower viral titers and formed smaller plaques compared to the parental virus and the MIBV. After six passages of GIBV, a minority of plaques were observed that had reverted to the larger plaque size and virus from these plaques no longer expressed EGFP. Direct sequencing of RT-PCR products derived from cells infected with the plaque-purified virus, which had lost expression of EGFP, confirmed loss of the EGFP ORF. The loss of EGFP expression (Delta5a IBV) was also accompanied by reversion to growth kinetics resembling the standard virus and intact recombinant virus. This study demonstrates that the 5a ORF is not essential for viral multiplication in Vero cells.

Animals↗

Synthesis of an infectious full-length cDNA clone of rice yellow mottle virus and mutagenesis of the coat protein.

A full-length cDNA clone of rice yellow mottle sobemovirus (RYMV) was synthesized and placed adjacent to a bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase promoter sequence. Capped-RNA transcripts produced in vitro were infectious when mechanically inoculated onto rice plants (Oryza sativa L). Individual full-length clones varied in their degree of infectivity but all were less infectious than native viral RNA. A representative clone, designated RYMV-FL5, caused a disease phenotype identical to that produced by viral RNA except that symptoms were somewhat slower to appear than those induced by viral RNA. The infectivity of RYMV-FL5 was verified by ELISA, Western blot analysis, Northern blot hybridization, RT-PCR, and Southern blot hybridization. Frameshift and deletion mutations introduced into the coat protein cistron demonstrated that the coat protein was dispensable for RNA replication in rice protoplasts. However, the coat protein was required for full infectivity in rice plants, presumably by playing a role in phloem-mediated long-distance movement and possibly in cell-to-cell movement.

Base Sequence↗

Cellular specificity of HIV-1 replication can be controlled by LTR sequences.

Two well-established determinants of retroviral tropism are envelope sequences that regulate entry and LTR sequences that can regulate viral expression in a cell-specific manner. Studies with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) have demonstrated that tropism of this virus maps primarily to variable envelope sequences. Studies have demonstrated that T cell and macrophage-specific transcription factor binding motifs exist in the upstream region of the LTR U3; however, the ability of the core enhancer/promoter proximal elements (two NF-kappaB and three Sp1 sites) to function well in macrophages and T cells have led many to conclude that HIV LTR sequences are not primary determinants of HIV tropism. To determine if cellular specificity could be imparted to HIV by the core enhancer elements, the enhancer/promoter proximal region of the HIV LTR was substituted with motifs that control gene expression in a myeloid-specific manner. The enhancer region from equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) when substituted for the HIV enhancer/promoter proximal region was found to drive expression in a macrophage-specific manner and was responsive to HIV Tat. The addition of a 5' methylation-dependent binding site (MDBP) and a promoter proximal Sp1 motif increased expression without altering cellular specificity. Spacing between the promoter proximal region and the TATA box was also found to influence LTR activity. Infectivity studies using chimeric LTRs within the context of a dual-tropic infectious molecular clone established that these LTRs directed HIV replication and production of infectious virions in macrophages but not primary T cells or T cell lines. This investigation demonstrates that cellular specificity can be imparted onto HIV-1 replication at the level of viral transcription and not entry.

Base Sequence↗

Multiple viral determinants contribute to pathogenicity of the acutely lethal simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmmPBj variant.

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) induces an immunodeficiency syndrome similar to human AIDS. Although the disease course of SIV-induced immunodeficiency is generally measured in months to years, a disease syndrome that results in death in 5 to 14 days has been described in pig-tailed macaques infected with the SIVsmmPBj (PBj) strain. The purpose of this study was to derive an acutely lethal PBj molecular clone in order to study viral genes involved in pathogenesis. Six infectious molecular clones were generated; acutely fatal disease was induced by experimental inoculation of pig-tailed macaques with virus stocks derived from either of two clones, PBj6.6 or PBj14.6. Molecular chimeras were constructed by exchange of regions of the genome of PBj6.6 and a nonlethal, related clone, SIVsmH4. Only a chimera expressing the PBj genome under the control of a SIVsmH4 long terminal repeat induced death soon after inoculation. These studies suggest that multiple viral genes of PBj are critical for development of acute disease. More specifically, the env gene but not the long terminal repeat PBj was required for acute disease induction; however env must act in concert with another gene(s) of the PBj genome.

Animals↗

Noncoding region between the env and src genes of Rous sarcoma virus influences splicing efficiency at the src gene 3' splice site.

Viral RNA and proteins in chicken embryo fibroblasts infected with different cloned variants of the Prague strain Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) were analyzed. The ratio of immunoprecipitated pp60src to the gag gene product p27 in Prague A (PrA) and Prague B (PrB) RSV-infected cells was two to three times that in Prague C (PrC) RSV-infected cells. A significant increase in the steady-state ratio of spliced 2.7-kilobase src gene mRNA to unspliced 9.3-kilobase genome-size RNA was observed in PrA- and PrB- compared with PrC-infected cells, consistent with the differences in the ratios of the gag to src gene protein products. Similar results were obtained when hybrid-selected RNA, which had been labeled for 3 h with [3H]uridine, was analyzed on formaldehyde-agarose gels, suggesting that the observed differences were due to splicing rather than RNA stability. Recombinant plasmids from infectious molecular clones of PrA and PrC were constructed to localize the regions responsible for the effects on src gene splicing. The substitution in place of the corresponding PrA region of the 262-base-pair region between the env gene and the src gene coding sequences from the PrC clone into the infectious PrA plasmid conferred the low src splicing efficiency of the PrC strain. The nucleotide sequence of this region of the PrA plasmid was determined and compared with the sequence of the PrC strain. Only four nucleotide differences were found; two changes were within the intron sequence, and two were in the exon sequence. The possible role of these differences in determining the extent of viral RNA splicing is discussed.

Animals↗

Protein interactions with DNA elements in variant equine infectious anemia virus enhancers and their impact on transcriptional activity.

The long terminal repeats (LTRs) from various cloned equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) proviruses differ significantly, but all contain cis-acting DNA elements identical to MDBP-, PEA2-, AP-1-, and PU.1 (ets)-binding sites. A prototype EIAV LTR would contain one of each of these conserved elements. The LTR variations originate from the insertion of novel sequences between the PEA2 and AP-1 elements in the transcriptional enhancer unit. Viewed in this way, the LTR from provirus clone lambda 12 has an 11-bp insertion containing a PEA2 site and the LTR of the lambda 6 provirus has a 31-bp insertion/duplication containing PEA2, AP-1, and PU.1 sites. Two other LTRs were cloned by amplification of cDNAs from the persistently infected cell line, EIAV-FEA. A third LTR was generated by site-directed mutagenesis of one of the LTRs from EIAV-FEA cells. The latter three had a single base change in the element next to the TATA box that abolished PU.1 binding; however, the variable regions of these LTRs were shown by gel mobility shift assays to contain one or two PU.1 sites. One variable region was shown to have an octamer site overlapping its tandem PU.1 elements. Basal, PMA-activated, and Tat trans-activated transcriptional activities of the LTRs were compared in several different cell lines by transient transfection. The various promoters displayed different relative levels of activity depending on the cell line used and the condition of activation. This natural set of variant promoters may help define how changes in the components of the transcription complex influence transactivation by Tat. The diverse LTRs could endow their respective proviruses with a unique pattern of expression and activation in vivo.

Base Sequence↗

Induction of disease by a molecularly cloned highly pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus/human immunodeficiency virus chimera is multigenic.

One of three full-length infectious molecular clones of SHIV(DH12R), designated SHIV(DH12R-CL-7) and obtained from productively infected rhesus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells, directed rapid and irreversible loss of CD4+ T cells within 3 weeks of its inoculation into Indian rhesus monkeys. Induction of complete CD4+ T-cell depletion by SHIV(DH12R-CL-7) was found to be dependent on inoculum size. The acquisition of this pathogenic phenotype was accompanied by the introduction of 42 amino acid substitutions into multiple genes of parental nonpathogenic SHIV(DH12). Transfer of the entire SHIV(DH12R-CL-7) env gene into the genetic background of nonpathogenic SHIV(DH12) failed to confer the rapid CD4+ T-lymphocyte-depleting syndrome; similarly, the substitution of gag plus pol sequences from SIV(smE543) for analogous SIV(mac239) genes in SHIV(DH12R-CL-7) attenuated the pathogenic phenotype. Amino acid changes affecting multiple viral genes are necessary, but insufficient by themselves, to confer the prototypically rapid and irreversible CD4+ T-cell-depleting phenotype exhibited by molecularly cloned SHIV(DH12R-CL-7).

Animals↗

Complete nucleotide sequence and synthesis of infectious in vitro transcripts from a full-length cDNA clone of a rakkyo strain of tobacco mosaic virus.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of a rakkyo strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-R), which exhibits distinct host range differences from the common strain of TMV, was determined. The overall nucleotide sequence homology with TMV-U1 (a common strain of TMV) is 94.2%. The amino acid sequence homologies of the four encoded proteins (180K, 130K, 30K, coat protein) are from 95.9% to 98.0% compared with TMV-U1. To facilitate the analysis of the novel host range of TMV-R, a full-length clone of the genome containing a bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase promoter was assembled from two cDNA clones and designated pRF3. In vitro transcripts derived from pRF3 were highly infectious. The infections of RF3, wild-type TMV-R, and U3/12-4 (derived from pU3/12-4, an infectious clone of TMV-U1) were compared on Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow (BY) plants. No systemic mosaic symptoms were observed on plants inoculated with RF3 and TMV-R, while BY plants inoculated with U3/12-4 developed distinct mosaic symptoms on the upper leaves 8-9 days post-inoculation. The green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was introduced into pRF3 and pU3/12-4 by replacing the coat protein gene to get two GFP expressing chimeric virus clones: pR-GFP or pU1-GFP. Transcripts from pU1-GFP produced strong fluorescence when inoculated onto BY leaves, while those from pR-GFP produced only very faint fluorescence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and characterization of an infectious replication-competent molecular clone of ecotropic porcine endogenous retrovirus class C.

Xenotransplantation of pig organs is complicated by the existence of polytropic replication-competent porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) capable of infecting human cells. The potential for recombination between ecotropic PERV-C and human-tropic PERV-A and PERV-B adds another level of infectious risk. Proviral PERV-C were characterized in MAX-T cells derived from d/d haplotype miniature swine. Three proviruses were cloned from a genomic library. Clone PERV-C(1312) generated infectious particles after transfection into porcine ST-IOWA cells. Electron microscopy revealed the same morphologies of virions in MAX-T cells and in ST-IOWA cells infected with cell-free PERV-C(1312) particles, indicating that MAX-T cells harbor one functional PERV-C provirus.

Animals↗

Use of a new CD4-positive HeLa cell clone for direct quantitation of infectious human immunodeficiency virus from blood cells of AIDS patients.

A new CD4-positive HeLa cell line (clone 1022) with increased sensitivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) isolates derived from AIDS patients could titer infectivity of HIV from most isolates at a level equal to that observed using normal human phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocyte cultures. By use of this clone with a focal immunoassay (FIA), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) producing HIV were detected in 15% of seropositive asymptomatic patients and 23% of AIDS patients at a frequency of 1 in 2 x 10(4) to 3 x 10(6) PBMC. HIV detection by primary FIA correlated with low CD4-positive cells counts. HIV activation in cocultures with PHA blasts resulted in increasing numbers of cells releasing HIV starting 3-4 days after cocultivation. The low incidence of HIV detection by direct FIA compared with the high incidence of HIV isolation after cocultivation with PHA blasts provided quantitative infectivity data suggesting that HIV was in a state of latency or low expression in most PBMC of AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗