TY - JOUR
T1 - The molecular biology and evolution of feline immunodeficiency viruses of cougars
AU - Poss, Mary
AU - Ross, Howard
AU - Rodrigo, Allen
AU - Terwee, Julie
AU - VandeWoude, Sue
AU - Biek, Roman
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Allergy and Infectious Disease grants AI 052055 and AI 054303, NSF grant 0346458, Morris Animal Foundation grant D01ZO-111, the Wilburforce Foundation and the Yukon to Yellowstone Conservation Initiative. Funding for the Molecular Computational Core Facility, Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience, was derived from NIH P20 RR15583-01 and the NSF EPS-0091995.
PY - 2008/5/15
Y1 - 2008/5/15
N2 - Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that has been identified in many members of the family Felidae but domestic cats are the only FIV host in which infection results in disease. We studied FIVpco infection of cougars (Puma concolor) as a model for asymptomatic lentivirus infections to understand the mechanisms of host-virus coexistence. Several natural cougar populations were evaluated to determine if there are any consequences of FIVpco infection on cougar fecundity, survival, or susceptibility to other infections. We have sequenced full-length viral genomes and conducted a detailed analysis of viral molecular evolution on these sequences and on genome fragments of serially sampled animals to determine the evolutionary forces experienced by this virus in cougars. In addition, we have evaluated the molecular genetics of FIVpco in a new host, domestic cats, to determine the evolutionary consequences to a host-adapted virus associated with cross-species infection. Our results indicate that there are no significant differences in survival, fecundity or susceptibility to other infections between FIVpco-infected and uninfected cougars. The molecular evolution of FIVpco is characterized by a slower evolutionary rate and an absence of positive selection, but also by proviral and plasma viral loads comparable to those of epidemic lentiviruses such as HIV-1 or FIVfca. Evolutionary and recombination rates and selection profiles change significantly when FIVpco replicates in a new host.
AB - Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that has been identified in many members of the family Felidae but domestic cats are the only FIV host in which infection results in disease. We studied FIVpco infection of cougars (Puma concolor) as a model for asymptomatic lentivirus infections to understand the mechanisms of host-virus coexistence. Several natural cougar populations were evaluated to determine if there are any consequences of FIVpco infection on cougar fecundity, survival, or susceptibility to other infections. We have sequenced full-length viral genomes and conducted a detailed analysis of viral molecular evolution on these sequences and on genome fragments of serially sampled animals to determine the evolutionary forces experienced by this virus in cougars. In addition, we have evaluated the molecular genetics of FIVpco in a new host, domestic cats, to determine the evolutionary consequences to a host-adapted virus associated with cross-species infection. Our results indicate that there are no significant differences in survival, fecundity or susceptibility to other infections between FIVpco-infected and uninfected cougars. The molecular evolution of FIVpco is characterized by a slower evolutionary rate and an absence of positive selection, but also by proviral and plasma viral loads comparable to those of epidemic lentiviruses such as HIV-1 or FIVfca. Evolutionary and recombination rates and selection profiles change significantly when FIVpco replicates in a new host.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.vetimm.2008.01.022
DO - 10.1016/j.vetimm.2008.01.022
M3 - Short survey
C2 - 18295904
AN - SCOPUS:43149114210
SN - 0165-2427
VL - 123
SP - 154
EP - 158
JO - Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology
JF - Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology
IS - 1-2
ER -
