Phylogenetic and Structural Diversity in the Feline Leukemia Virus Env Gene

Abstract

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) belongs to the genus Gammaretrovirus, and causes a variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases in cats. Alteration of viral env sequences is thought to be associated with disease specificity, but the way in which genetic diversity of FeLV contributes to the generation of such variants in nature is poorly understood. We isolated FeLV env genes from naturally infected cats in Japan and analyzed the evolutionary dynamics of these genes. Phylogenetic reconstructions separated our FeLV samples into three distinct genetic clusters, termed Genotypes I, II, and III. Genotype I is a major genetic cluster and can be further classified into Clades 1–7 in Japan. Genotypes were correlated with geographical distribution; Genotypes I and II were distributed within Japan, whilst FeLV samples from outside Japan belonged to Genotype III. These results may be due to geographical isolation of FeLVs in Japan. The observed structural diversity of the FeLV env gene appears to be caused primarily by mutation, deletion, insertion and recombination, and these variants may be generated de novo in individual cats. FeLV interference assay revealed that FeLV genotypes did not correlate with known FeLV receptor subgroups. We have identified the genotypes which we consider to be reliable for evaluating phylogenetic relationships of FeLV, which embrace the high structural diversity observed in our sample. Overall, these findings extend our understanding of Gammaretrovirus evolutionary patterns in the field, and may provide a useful basis for assessing the emergence of novel strains and understanding the molecular mechanisms of FeLV transmission in cats.

Novel Feline Leukemia Virus Interference Group Based on the env Gene

“…The env sequences of these clones showed strong similarity ( Fig. 1), and the viruses clustered phylogenetically with those of genotype I/clade I FeLV, found mainly in Japan (16). The encompassing variable region A (VRA) of TG35-2 Env differs at eight amino acids from those of the TG35-4 and TG35-5 Env proteins.…”

“…Subgroups C and T possibly arose from mutations in FeLV-A env (11,12). The recombination or mutation of env often alters the interference and host ranges of FeLVs by affecting their receptor usage (5,6,13,14,15,16).FeLV env genes were isolated by PCR from the blood DNA of a 1-year-old castrated male cat, TG35, with a bite injury, stomatitis, loss of appetite, and FeLV infection, although he had been vaccinated with inactivated FeLV (genotype III) (16). Five clones (TG35-1 to -5) were isolated, and we focused on TG35-2, TG35-4, and TG35-5.…”

“…Subgroups C and T possibly arose from mutations in FeLV-A env (11,12). The recombination or mutation of env often alters the interference and host ranges of FeLVs by affecting their receptor usage (5,6,13,14,15,16).…”

“…FeLV env genes were isolated by PCR from the blood DNA of a 1-year-old castrated male cat, TG35, with a bite injury, stomatitis, loss of appetite, and FeLV infection, although he had been vaccinated with inactivated FeLV (genotype III) (16). Five clones (TG35-1 to -5) were isolated, and we focused on TG35-2, TG35-4, and TG35-5.…”

“…To identify the FeLV subgroup to which this viral strain belongs, we used an interference assay (16) and generated ␤-galactosidase (LacZ)-encoding pseudotype viruses expressing TG35-2, TG35-4, or TG35-5 envelope (Env) proteins in GPLac cells (7). Pseudotype viruses TG35-2, -4, and -5 infected uninfected HEK293T cells (Table 1).…”