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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Animal Health Genomics » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #337773

Research Project: Genomic Intervention Strategies to Prevent and/or Treat Respiratory Diseases of Ruminants

Location: Animal Health Genomics

Title: Complete genome sequences of two genotype A2 small ruminant lentiviruses isolated from infected U.S. sheep

Author
item Workman, Aspen
item Dickey, Aaron
item Heaton, Michael - Mike
item Clawson, Michael - Mike
item Smith, Timothy - Tim

Submitted to: Genome Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2017
Publication Date: 3/30/2017
Citation: Workman, A.M., Dickey, A.M., Heaton, M.P., Clawson, M.L., Smith, T.P.L. 2017. Complete genome sequences of two genotype A2 small ruminant lentiviruses isolated from infected U.S. sheep. Genome Announcements. 5(13):e00109-17.

Interpretive Summary: Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) infect sheep, goats and wild ruminants causing an incurable, multisystemic chronic disease affecting animal welfare and production. SRLVs are phylogenetically divided into five groups, A–E, which are further divided into different subtypes based on their gag and pol sequences. Genotypes A2 and B1 circulate in U.S. sheep and goat populations. Viral tropism and host susceptibility to the different SRLV strains are influenced by host and virus genotypes. In sheep, genetic variation in the transmembrane protein 154 (TMEM154) gene is associated with susceptibility to SRLV A2 infection. On the pathogen side, two distinct SRLV A2 subgroups have evolved to infect sheep in association with the host TMEM154 diplotype. The sequences described in this announcement represent the first complete genomes for U.S. SRLV strains belonging to genotype A2, subgroups 1 and 2.

Technical Abstract: Two distinct subgroups of genotype A2 SRLVs have been identified in the U.S. that infect sheep in association with their transmembrane protein 154 (TMEM154) diplotypes. Here, we report the first two complete genome sequences for SRLV strains infecting U.S. sheep belonging to genotype A2, subgroups 1 and 2.