Nucleotide sequence of v-rel: the oncogene of reticuloendotheliosis virus

The nucleotide sequence of v-rel, the oncogene carried by reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), has been determined. The defective transforming genome REV arose through the insertion of v-rel (1,415 nucleotides) into the env gene of the helper virus REV-A. The predicted rel protein (503 amino acids) employs the REV-A env initiator and terminates within the p20E region of env. Because there are no natural antisera that detect the REV transforming protein, this nucleotide sequence provides the first step toward its isolation and characterization. The predicted protein is clearly distinct from all other reported transforming proteins but may be very distantly related to members of the src family.