Koala retrovirus
Koala retrovirus | |
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Virus classification | |
(unranked): | Virus |
Realm: | Riboviria |
Kingdom: | Pararnavirae |
Phylum: | Artverviricota |
Class: | Revtraviricetes |
Order: | Ortervirales |
Family: | Retroviridae |
Genus: | Gammaretrovirus |
Species: | Koala retrovirus
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Koala retrovirus (KoRV)
Koala retrovirus was initially described as a novel endogenous retrovirus found within the koala
80% of deaths of captive koalas in Queensland from
Research has also shown that some populations of koalas, particularly an isolated colony on Kangaroo Island do not appear to have the endogenous form of the retrovirus. This suggests that the virus gene sequence is a new acquisition for the koala genome. Prevalence of KoRV (and KIDS) in Australian koala populations suggests a trend spreading from the north down to the south of Australia.[6] Northern populations are completely infected, while some southern populations (including Kangaroo Island) are free.[7] Prior to this 'koala retrovirus' was used to refer to an unidentified oncovirus detected in cancer-affected koalas.[8] KoRV has been shown to be capable of transducing host oncogenes, but it has not yet been shown whether the resulting transforming viruses are transmissible.[4]
In 2013, an exclusively exogenous subtype of KoRV was identified and termed KoRVB (with the endogenous form of KoRV referred to as KoRVA.) KoRVA utilizes the ubiquitous SLC20A1 as a viral receptor, whereas KoRVB infects via SLC19A2 which is found on a limited number of cell types and not at all on germ line cells. Therefore, KoRVB will remain exogenous and more pathogenic than KoRVA, because the deleterious effects it causes in its hosts will not be selected against to the extent they would in a virus capable of integrating into the germ line.[9]
It is thought that further studying KoRV will allow valuable insight into how endogenous retroviruses develop, evolve, and incorporate themselves into mammalian genomes.[7][10]
References
- ^ "Koala retrovirus (KoRV)".
- ^ PMID 31455828.
- PMID 10756041
- ^ PMID 33637755.
- ^ a b Beeby, R. (4 Jul 2008). "AIDS-like virus threatens Qld koalas". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 2010-01-11. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
- ISBN 978-94-007-4899-6
- ^ PMID 17118218
- ISBN 978-0813825564
- PMID 23798387
- PMID 26958909
External links
- Data related to Koala retrovirus at Wikispecies