# RETROVIRUS REPLICATION: INTERACTION WITH THE HOST GENOME

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 1989 · $112,882

## Abstract

This research is directed at understanding two different levels of
interaction between avian retroviruses and their host cell.  One level of
interaction is at the surface of the cell where the viral attachment
protein (the env gene product) interacts with the host cell receptor
protein.  A second level of interaction is between viral DNA and host DNA,
an interaction that occurs as the result of the integration of viral DNA
into the host genome.  The integration reaction involves a specific
cleavage event in viral DNA between tandem copies of the viral LTR
sequence.  Inappropriate cleavage at the boundary of the LTR may lead to
site-specific deletion events in unintegrated and integrated DNA.  A
replication competent retrovirus shuttle vector will be used to study the
process of deletion formation and also the integration reaction.  The
interaction at the surface of the cell is a major determinant of host range
for the virus.  Subgroup D avian retroviruses are able to infect mammalian
cells, a property of the subgroup D env gene product.  Molecular
recombinants will be constructed to define the region of the subgroup D env
gene that determines mammaltropism.  In addition, the major neutralizing
epitopes of the env gene product will be identified by isolating viral
mutants resistant to neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3171107
- **Project number:** 5R01CA033147-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **SAM.gov UEI:** D3LHU66KBLD5
- **Principal Investigator:** Ronald I Swanstrom
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $112,882
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-07-01 → 1991-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3171107

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3171107, RETROVIRUS REPLICATION: INTERACTION WITH THE HOST GENOME (5R01CA033147-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3171107. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*