A novel endogenous betaretrovirus in the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) suggests multiple independent infection and cross-species transmission events

J Virol. 2015 May;89(9):5180-4. doi: 10.1128/JVI.03452-14. Epub 2015 Feb 25.

Abstract

The Desmodus rotundus endogenous betaretrovirus (DrERV) is fixed in the vampire bat D. rotundus population and in other phyllostomid bats but is not present in all species from this family. DrERV is not phylogenetically related to Old World bat betaretroviruses but to betaretroviruses from rodents and New World primates, suggesting recent cross-species transmission. A recent integration age estimation of the provirus in some taxa indicates that an exogenous counterpart might have been in recent circulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Betaretrovirus / classification*
  • Betaretrovirus / genetics
  • Betaretrovirus / isolation & purification
  • Chiroptera / genetics*
  • Chiroptera / virology*
  • Endogenous Retroviruses / classification*
  • Endogenous Retroviruses / genetics
  • Endogenous Retroviruses / isolation & purification
  • Gene Order
  • Phylogeny*
  • Primates / virology
  • Retroviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Retroviridae Infections / virology
  • Rodentia / virology
  • Synteny