The open reading frame S of visna virus genome is a trans-activating gene

Soon after infection of ovine cell cultures, visna virus expression is first indicated by the accumulation of two multi-spliced transcripts of 1.2 and 1.6 kb that at present we have renamed 1.4 and 1.7 kb according to their exact length. The early 1.4-kb mRNA encodes for a protein which increases the level of transcripts directed from visna virus long terminal repeat (trans-activation). This trans-activating protein was previously called VEP1 and at present is renamed as the product of the rev gene according to significant amino acid sequence homologies between this protein and the rev gene products of simian immunodeficiency virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 2. In this study, the 1.7-kb mRNA was cloned, sequenced, and in vitro translated. It is 1491 nucleotides long, contains two short open reading frames, (orfs), tat (previously orf S) and rev which is the bipartite trans-acting gene specific for the early 1.4-kb mRNA. The tat gene of visna virus encodes for a protein of 11 kDa which in transient expression assays has a positive transacting effect on transcription as the rev gene product does.