Susceptibility of domestic animals to a pseudotype virus bearing RD-114 virus envelope protein.

Retroviral vectors are used for gene transduction into cells and have been applied to gene therapy. Retroviral vectors using envelope protein (Env) of RD-114 virus, a feline endogenous retrovirus, have been used for gene transduction. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility to RD-114 Env-pseudotyped virus in twelve domestic animals including cattle, sheep, horse, pig, dog, cat, ferret, mink, rabbit, rat, mouse, and quail.

Suppression of production of baboon endogenous virus by dominant negative mutants of cellular factors involved in multivesicular body sorting pathway.

Baboon endogenous virus (BaEV) is an infectious endogenous gammaretrovirus isolated from a baboon placenta. BaEV-related sequences have been identified in both Old World monkeys and African apes, but not in humans or Asian apes. Recently, it was reported that BaEV-like particles were produced from Vero cells derived from African green monkeys by chemical induction, and thus BaEV-like particles may contaminate biological products manufactured using Vero cells.