THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA VIRUS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1986. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA VIRUS

Symp Soc Gen Microbiol; 37:241-59 1985. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/86622299
Yoshida M; Hattori S; Kiyokawa T; Watanabe T; Seiki M; Dept. of Viral Oncology, Cancer Inst., Kami-Ikebukuro,; Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170, Japan

Abstract: Recent work performed on the structure of the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) genome, the causative roles of HTLV in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) development, and the identification of the viral proteins is summarized. HTLV was isolated from ATL patients, characterized at the molecular level and was found to play causative roles in ATL development in infection of the target cells. HTLV contains gag, pol, and env genes, and in addition, an X region, which can code for one to four small proteins, pX-I-pX-IV, but has no typical onc gene. Direct activation of cellular onc genes by integrated HTLV proviruses seems unlikely because the provirus integration has no locus common in the DNA of leukemic cells. The X product may trans-activate (as yet unknown) cellular genes. The X region codes for a p40 protein in frame IV. The gag gene codes for Pr53, which is processed into matured gag proteins, p19, p24, and p15, in this order, from the 5' end of the gene. The env gene codes for a 46 kilodalton protein, which is glycosylated into gp62; gp62 is then processed into gp46 and p20E. Env gene products, which are exposed on the cell surface, can induce cell fusion in certain cell types; therefore they can modulate the proliferation of HTLV-infected cells in response to serum antibodies. Env gene products produced in Escherichia coli can be useful for diagnosis or prevention of HTLV infection. (44 Refs)

Keywords: Antibodies, Viral/ANALYSIS/IMMUNOLOGY DNA, Viral/GENETICS *Genes, Viral Human HTLV-BLV Viruses/*GENETICS/IMMUNOLOGY Leukemia/*MICROBIOLOGY Mutation Translation, Genetic Viral Envelope Proteins/GENETICS/IMMUNOLOGY Viral Proteins/ANALYSIS/GENETICS MEETING PAPER

861030
M86A0333

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