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Journal of Virology, April 2007, p. 4052-4057, Vol. 81, No. 8
0022-538X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.02319-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Duplicated Sequence Motif in the Long Terminal Repeat of Maedi-Visna Virus Extends Cell Tropism and Is Associated with Neurovirulence

Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur v/Vesturlandsveg, Reykjavík, Iceland

Received 23 October 2006/ Accepted 26 January 2007

Maedi-visna virus (MVV) is a lentivirus of sheep causing chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs (maedi) and the nervous system (visna). We have previously shown that a duplicated sequence in the long terminal repeat (LTR) of MVV is a determinant of cell tropism. Here, we demonstrate that deletion of a CAAAT sequence from either one of the repeats resulted in poor virus growth in sheep choroid plexus cells. A duplication in the LTR encompassing the CAAAT sequence was found in four neurological field cases that were sequenced, but no duplication was present in the LTRs from seven maedi cases; one maedi isolate was mixed. These results indicate that the duplication in the LTR is associated with neurovirulence.

Published ahead of print on 7 February 2007.