The life cycle of feline immunodeficiency virus

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus of worldwide distribution that can cause an acquired immunodeficiency disease in domestic cats. FIV and the primate lentiviruses, human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively) share structural and biological features but also exhibit important differences, which reflect both their evolutionary relationship and divergence. Given that FIV is not only an important cat pathogen but also a useful model for certain aspects of HIV-1 infections in humans, the study of FIV biology is highly relevant. In this review we provide an updated description of the molecular mechanisms involved in each stage of the FIV life cycle.