Subpopulations of equine infectious anemia virus Rev coexist in vivo and differ in phenotype.
Abstract: Lentiviruses exist in vivo as a population of related, nonidentical genotypes, commonly referred to as quasispecies. The quasispecies structure is characteristic of complex adaptive systems and contributes to the high rate of evolution in lentiviruses that confounds efforts to develop effective vaccines and antiviral therapies. Here, we describe analyses of genetic data from longitudinal studies of genetic variation in a lentivirus regulatory protein, Rev, over the course of disease in ponies experimentally infected with equine infectious anemia virus. As observed with other lentivirus data, the Rev variants exhibited a quasispecies character. Phylogenetic and partition analyses suggested that the Rev quasispecies comprised two distinct subpopulations that coexisted during infection. One subpopulation appeared to accumulate changes in a linear, time-dependent manner, while the other evolved radially from a common variant. Over time, the two subpopulations cycled in predominance coincident with changes in the disease state, suggesting that the two groups differed in selective advantage. Transient expression assays indicated the two populations differed significantly in Rev nuclear export activity. Chimeric proviral clones containing Rev genotypes representative of each population differed in rate and overall level of virus replication in vitro. The coexistence of genetically distinct viral subpopulations that differ in phenotype provides great adaptability to environmental changes within the infected host. A quasispecies model with multiple subpopulations may provide additional insight into the nature of lentivirus reservoirs and the evolution of antigenic and drug-resistant variants.
Publication Date: 2003-10-29 PubMed ID: 14581549PubMed Central: PMC254257DOI: 10.1128/jvi.77.22.12122-12131.2003Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses the existence of two distinct subpopulations of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) which respond differently to changes within an infected horse, possibly indicating the complexity of lentiviruses and their ability to adapt to any environmental changes that may arise.
Quasispecies Nature of Lentiviruses
- The authors introduce the concept of “quasispecies” which refers to a population of closely related but non-identical genotypes of a single virus species existing within an infected individual.
- This property is noted as a characteristic of complex adaptive systems and it is this quasispecies structure that presents a high evolution rate in lentiviruses, hindering the development of effective vaccines and antiviral therapies.
Study on EIAV’s Rev Protein
- The research involved longitudinal studies on the genetic variation in Rev, a regulatory protein of the EIAV, in ponies experimentally infected with the virus.
- The authors found that the Rev variants also exhibited a quasispecies nature.
- Through phylogenetic and partition analyses, it was suggested that the Rev quasispecies was made up of two distinct subpopulations that coexist during infection.
- Interestingly, one of these subpopulations accumulated changes in a linear, time-dependent manner while the other evolved in all directions from a common variant.
Characteristics of the Rev Subpopulations
- The dominance between the two subpopulations was seen to switch over time, indicating that the groups differed in their advantages, in response to changes in the disease state.
- When tested, the two populations showed significant differences in their Rev nuclear export activity.
- Chimeric proviral clones containing Rev genotypes representative of each population also showed differences in their rate and overall level of virus replication in vitro.
Implications of the Subpopulations
- The existence of these genetically distinct viral subpopulations, with different phenotypes, is said to provide greater adaptability to environmental changes within the infected host.
- Understanding this quasispecies model and its multiple subpopulations could offer further insight into the nature of lentivirus reservoirs and the evolution of antigenic and drug-resistant variants.
Cite This Article
APA
Baccam P, Thompson RJ, Li Y, Sparks WO, Belshan M, Dorman KS, Wannemuehler Y, Oaks JL, Cornette JL, Carpenter S.
(2003).
Subpopulations of equine infectious anemia virus Rev coexist in vivo and differ in phenotype.
J Virol, 77(22), 12122-12131.
https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.77.22.12122-12131.2003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Mathematics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Gene Products, rev / genetics
- Genes, env
- Genetic Variation
- Horses
- Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / classification
- Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / genetics
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Phenotype
- Phylogeny
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