GENOMIC HETEROGENEITY IN THE POL REGION OF OVINE LENTIVIRUSES OBTAINED FROM BRONCHOALVEOLAR CELLS OF INFECTED SHEEP FROM FRANCE

In order to determine the genomic heterogeneity of ovine lentiviruses, we analysed eight isolates from naturally infected sheep from one geo graphical region of France. A 475 nt fragment in the region of the pol gene coding for reverse transcriptase was amplified by RT-PCR from RN A directly extracted from uncultured bronchoalveolar lavage cells. The resulting PCR fragments were analysed by restriction enzyme digestion , cloned in a TA vector and sequenced. Restriction enzyme analysis sho wed distinct patterns from the eight isolates, and sequencing showed t hem to be closely related in both nucleotide (2.3-8.1% variation) and deduced amino acid (0-6.2% variation) sequences. Their amino acid sequ ences differed from that of visna-maedi virus complete viral genome se quence K1514 by 12.5-15.3%, but from that of caprine arthritis encepha litis virus (CAEV) viral genome sequence Co by only 4.2-6.9%. Phylogen etic analysis showed that the French isolates form a group related to CAEV Co and distant from previously reported ovine lentivirus sequence s from different origins.