GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF ECOTROPIC MURINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS RESISTANCE GENE IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN WILD MICE

• Published in: Genes & Genetic Systems Vol. 72; no. 6; p. 429
• Main Authors: KASHIMORI Isao, TSUJI Atsushi, IKEDA Hidetoshi, TSUCHIYA Kimiyuki, NAMIKAWA Takao, YAMAGATA Takahiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Genetics Society of Japan 1997
• ISSN: 1341-7568

Wild mice have multiple copics of an endogenous ccotropic murine lenkemia viruses (MuLVS) in their genomes. Southeast Asian mice (Mus musculus castaneus) carry the Fv-4' gene which is a truncated endogenous MuLV with ecotropic interference properties, and the Fv-4'-related endogenous MuLVs. We analyzed sequences of a part of these genes (about 470bp) in wild mice from several localities in Asia to search for the spread of the Fv-4' gene and its related endogenous MuLVs in wild populations. As a result, the sequences of the Fv-4' gene were indicated to bc coincident in au anirnals examined. This finding suggests that the Fv-4' gene is conservative and is necessary for the survival of M. m. castaneus. Comparing the sequences of the Fv-4'-related endogenous MuLVs, one pair of the sequences which were detected to be the same length of Hind III fragrnents by southem blot analysis was identical in Philippines and Indonesia. However, sequence differenccs among most of same length fragments were diverse as in those among different length fragments. In addition, a few pairs of the Fv-4'-related endogenous MuLVs which indicated ditferent band patterns by southern blot analysis contained same sequences. These results suggest that the Fv-4'-relatcd endogenous MuLVs were probably able to move as a transposon within the genomic DNA and reproduced thesc copies. The Fv-4'-related endogenous MuLVs were classified into approximately thlee types. Some sequences showed regional peculiarity in India and Sri Lanka. Further analysis of Fv-4'-related endogenous MuLVs will reveal their origin and geographjcal distribution.