1st International AIDS Conference Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. - April 14-17, 1985

Int Conf AIDS 1985 Apr 14-17; 1:23 (abstract no. S3F)

A Srinivasan, V Kalyanaraman, R Narayanan, C Calbradilla, R Anand, D Francis, J Curran
CDC, Atlanta, Georgia.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV), an exogenous type C retrovirus, induces enzootic bovine leukosis in the bovine species. BLV, in genomic organization, has closer resemblance to the retorviruses belonging to the family of human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) and has partial amino acid sequence homology to HTLV I and II subgroup structural protein as well. In an effort to understand the mechanism of the regulation of viral gene expression, the long terminal repeat (LTR) region of BLV genome containing the transcription signal sequences was investigated in BLV infected cells. Appropriate recombinant plasmid constructs were made by combining both LTR and indicator genes such as neomycin and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase. Transient expression studies indicate that trans-acting regulatory factor(s) present in BLV infected cells stimulate gene expression directed by LTR. However, the enhancer function detected for BLV LTR in combination with an immunoglobulin promoter is selectively abolished in BLV infected cells. These studies provide evidence for both positive and negative regulation by trans-acting factor(s). This phenomenon may play an essential role in the initiation of diverse biological effects by BLV and HTLV.

850414
S3F

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