A HUMAN AMPHOTROPIC RETROVIRUS RECEPTOR IS A 2ND MEMBER OF THE GIBBONAPE LEUKEMIA-VIRUS RECEPTOR FAMILY

Retrovirus infection is initiated by binding of the viral envelope gly coprotein to a cell-surface receptor. The envelope proteins of type C retroviruses of mammals demonstrate similarities in structural organiz ation and protein sequence. These similarities suggest the possibility that retroviruses from different interference groups might use relate d proteins as receptors, despite the absence of any relationship betwe en retrovirus receptors isolated to date. To investigate this possibil ity, we have identified a human cDNA clone encoding a protein closely related to the receptor for gibbon ape leukemia virus and have found t hat it functions as the receptor for the amphotropic group of murine r etroviruses. Expression of this protein (GLVR-2) is likely to be a req uirement for infection of human cells by amphotropic retroviral vector s for purposes of gene therapy.