Conservation of the c-myc coding sequence in transduced feline v-myc genes

We have cloned the normal feline c-myc locus and determined the nucleotide sequence of all three exons. The feline c-myc gene shows close homology to other mammalian c-myc genes, particularly human c-myc. The feline and human sequences are colinear within the open reading frame for the putative c-myc product but show insertions and deletions relative to each other outside this domain. We have also analyzed a cloned FeLV provirus, CT4, which contains the host-derived myc gene. In this provirus the v-myc sequences are located at the 3' end of the pol gene, replacing pol and env sequences. Nucleotide sequence analysis of CT4 shows an open reading frame for a v-myc gene product which may be expressed without fusion to any viral protein sequences. This contrasts with another FeLV v-myc (LC), in which myc and gag sequences were found to be fused. Unlike previously identified avian v-myc genes, the feline v-myc genes contain exon 1-derived sequences, but these have been truncated or internally deleted. The FeLV CT4 v-myc sequence shows very few coding changes relative to c-myc and the FeLV LC v-myc coding sequence is unchanged relative to c-myc apart from fusion to gag. These results are discussed in relation to the mechanism of transduction and activation of myc by FeLV.