Interspecies radioimmunoassay for the major structural proteins of primate type-D retroviruses.

Abstract

A competition radioimmunoassay was developed in which type-D retroviruses from 3 primate spp. compete. The assay utilizes the major structural protein (36,000 daltons) of the endogenous squirrel monkey retrovirus and antisera directed against the major structural protein (27,000 daltons) of the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus isolated from rhesus monkeys. Purified preparations of both viruses grown in heterologous [human and animal] cells, and extracts of heterologous cells infected with squirrel monkey retrovirus or Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, compete completely in the assay. Addition of an endogenous virus of the langur monkey also results in complete blocking. No blocking in the assay is observed with type-C baboon viruses, woolly monkey virus and gibbon virus. Various other type-C and type-B viruses also showed no reactivity. An interspecies assay was thus developed that recognized the type-D retroviruses from both Old World monkey (rhesus and langur) and New World monkey (squirrel) spp.