Type C viral expression in primate tissues

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Primate Genetics

Background:

• Endogenous retroviruses are integrated into host genomes and can be transcribed.
• The presence and expression of baboon type C virus sequences in primates are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of nucleic acid sequences homologous to baboon type C virus in Old World monkeys.
• To detect viral antigen (p30) in primate tissues using competitive radioimmunoassays.
• To determine if primate tissues express viral structural proteins.

Main Methods:

• Hybridization assays to detect homologous nucleic acid sequences.
• Competitive radioimmunoassays to detect viral p30 protein.
• Immunologic criteria to compare viral proteins from different sources.

Main Results:

• Nucleic acid sequences homologous to baboon type C virus were detected in cellular DNA and RNA of several Old World monkeys.
• Viral antigen (p30) was detected in a normal stumptail monkey spleen and a rhesus monkey ovarian carcinoma.
• The detected p30 antigen showed close immunologic similarity to baboon type C virus p30 protein.

Conclusions:

• Normal primate tissues transcribe endogenous viral-specific RNA.
• At least one viral structural protein (p30) is translated from this endogenous viral RNA in primates.
• These findings suggest a conserved endogenous retroviral presence and expression in primate evolution.