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J. Virol. doi:10.1128/JVI.02141-07
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

The GLN family of mouse Endogenous Retroviruses comprises an element competent for infectious viral particle formation

Unité des Rétrovirus Endogènes et Eléments Rétroïdes des Eucaryotes Supérieurs, CNRS UMR 8122, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, F-94805, France; Univ Paris-Sud, Orsay, F-91405, France; Laboratoire de Réplication de l'ADN et Ultrastructure du Noyau, FRE 2937 Institut André Lwoff, Villejuif, F-94801, France

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: heidmann{at}igr.fr.

	Abstract

Several families of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have been identified in the mouse genome –in several instances by in silico searches-, but for many of them it remains to be determined whether there exist elements that can still encode functional retroviral particles. Here we identify, within the GLN family of highly reiterated ERVs, one–and only one- copy that encodes retroviral particles prone to infection of mouse cells. We show that its envelope protein confers an ecotropic host range and recognizes a receptor different from mCAT1 and mSMIT1, the two previously identified receptors for other ecotropic mouse retroviruses. Electron microscopy discloses viral particle assembly and budding at the cell membrane, as well as release of mature particles into the extracellular space. These particles are closely related to MLV particles, with which they have most probably been confused in the past. This study therefore identifies a new class of infectious mouse ERVs, belonging to the Gammaretroviridae genus, with one family member still functional today. This family comes in addition to the two MLV and MMTV families of active mouse ERVs with an extracellular life cycle.