The envelope proteins of bovine leukemia virus: purification and sequence analysis

Two proteins, termed gp60 and p30, have been purified to homogeneity from bovine leukemia virus (BLV) using controlled pore glass and reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). gp60 was shown to be a glycoprotein by identification of glucosamine on the amino acid analyzer. Antiserum prepared to gp60 recognized in addition to gp60 a 52,000-Da polypeptide in some virus preparations, but did not cross-react with p30. The amino and carboxyl termini of gp60 were found to be tryptophan and arginine, respectively, and a 38-residue amino-terminal sequence of gp60 (NH2TrpArgXSerLeuSerLeuGlyAsnGlnGlnTrpMetThrAlaTyrAsnGlnGluAlaLys PheSerIleSerIleAspGlnIleLeuGluAlaHisAsnGlnSerProPhe-) was obtained. A 12-residue amino-terminal sequence for p30 (NH2SerProValAlaAlaLeuThrLeuGlySerAlaLeu) was also obtained. The p30 sequence showed substantial homology to the transmembrane proteins of both types B and C retroviruses and also to a deduced sequence of the 3' region of the env gene of human T-cell leukemia virus. From these results and from elution behavior of these proteins on RPLC, it was concluded that gp60 and p30 are the BLV env gene-encoded surface glycoprotein and transmembrane protein, respectively.