IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Paul, T.A.; Casey, J.W.; Avery, R.J.; Sutton, C.A. | |
| Expression of feline immunodeficiency virus Vif is associated with reduced viral mutation rates without restoration of replication of _vif_ mutant viruses | |
| 2007 Virology (361): 112-122 | |
The _vif_ gene of lentiviruses has been demonstrated to be essential for efficient viral replication in many cell types. Although the Vif protein of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) displays limited homology to HIV-1 Vif, the role of _vif_ in FIV replication is not known. We have examined the requirements of _vif_ for replication of a FIV strain isolated from a non-domestic felid, _Otocolobus manul_ (FIV-Oma). In agreement with others, we find that replication of FIV _vif_ mutant molecular clones in CrFK cells is highly attenuated. Initial attempts to rescue _vif_ mutant viruses in _trans_ were limited by lack of detectable wild-type Vif expression from DNA constructs. We demonstrate that FIV-Oma Vif expression can be increased by re-synthesis of the gene to remove splice donor and acceptor sites as well as improving codon usage to a mammalian codon optimized model. Cellular localization of resynthesized Vif (Vif-RS) is cytoplasmic. Clonal stable transfectants expressing HA-tagged Vif-RS do not restore replication levels of _vif_ mutant virus. However, in such cell lines, G-to-A mutation rates in replicating wild-type viruses are reduced. |
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