@article{mbs:/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.001046, author = "Konno, Yoriyuki and Nagaoka, Shumpei and Kimura, Izumi and Takahashi Ueda, Mahoko and Kumata, Ryuichi and Ito, Jumpei and Nakagawa, So and Kobayashi, Tomoko and Koyanagi, Yoshio and Sato, Kei", title = "A naturally occurring feline APOBEC3 variant that loses anti-lentiviral activity by lacking two amino acid residues", journal= "Journal of General Virology", year = "2018", volume = "99", number = "5", pages = "704-709", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001046", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.001046", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2099", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "felids", keywords = "lentivirus", keywords = "FIV", keywords = "APOBEC3", keywords = "evolutionary arms race", keywords = "lynx", abstract = "Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3 (APOBEC3) is a mammalian protein that restricts lentiviral replication. Various polymorphisms of mammalian APOBEC3 genes have been observed in humans, Old World monkeys and domestic cats; however, the genetic diversity of APOBEC3 genes in other mammals remains unaddressed. Here we identify a novel haplotype of the feline APOBEC3Z3 gene, an APOBEC3 gene that restricts feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) replication, in a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). Compared to the previously identified lynx APOBEC3Z3 (haplotype I), the new sequence (haplotype II) harbours two amino acid deletions (Q16 and H17) and a nonsynonymous substitution (R68Q). Interestingly, lynx APOBEC3Z3 haplotype II does not suppress FIV infectivity, whereas haplotype I does. Mutagenesis experiments further revealed that deleting two amino acids (Q16 and H17) causes anti-FIV activity loss. This report demonstrates that a naturally occurring APOBEC3 variant loses anti-lentiviral activity through the deletion of two amino acid residues.", }