cDNA sequence of the long terminal repeat of a PrB strain of the Rous sarcoma virus

The cDNA library of the polyA+ RNA from Prague B strain of RSV infected cells was constructed by the use of oligo(dT) primer and the reverse transcription method. The clones containing the LTR sequences were studied. The DNA sequences of several clones were studied and compared with the cDNA sequence of the long terminal repeat (LTR) region of a PrB strain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) which had previously been determined. By the analyses of several different cDNA clones, mutations were detected in the R region as well as in the U3 region of the LTR in two different cDNA clones. By comparing the DNA sequences of these cDNA clones with the original viral LTR, the error-prone hypothesis of the RSV reverse transcriptase was confirmed.