Molecular evidence for a type C retrovirus etiology of the lymphoproliferative disease of turkeys

Abstract

Recently, we isolated from the blood of lymphoproliferative disease (LPD)-affected turkeys a type C retrovirus distinct from the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus complex and the reticuloendotheliosis virus group. We present molecular evidence for the implication of this virus in the LPD of turkeys. Using complementary DNA of LPD viral RNA, we found that the LPD viral genome is specifically and efficiently transcribed (2,500 copies per cell) in LPD tumor cells. Moreover, the LPD tumor cells contained newly inserted LPD viral information (5 to 10 copies per haploid genome), which was not present before the infection. From the absence of LPD virus-specific sequences in the normal cell genome of turkeys, it was concluded that the LPD virus is not an endogenous virus of turkeys. DNA-DNA annealing experiments revealed that the degree of sequence homology between LPD viral complementary DNA and cellular DNA of turkeys was not higher than that between LPD viral complementary DNA and cellular DNA of other species, thus indicating that the virus does not originate from turkeys.