Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4
Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4 (McHV-4), commonly known as rhesus lymphocryptovirus (RLV), is a species of virus in the genus Lymphocryptovirus, subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae, family Herpesviridae, and order Herpesvirales.[1][2] In nature, RLV infects rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Comparison with Epstein-Barr virusIts genetic structure has been fully sequenced and found to be highly homologous with that of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), at 65%. The structural proteins are highly conserved, while genes expressed during Human gammaherpesvirus 4 latent infection are much less well conserved. Even in cases where genes have low homology, the RLV infection genes are functionally interchangeable with EBV genes.[3] RLV infection in rhesus monkeys resembles EBV infection in humans in several respects:
These features make the rhesus lymphocryptovirus potentially useful for studying the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of EBV infection and associated oncogenesis.[4] ReferencesWikispecies has information related to Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4.
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