Binding of viruses to cellular receptors is the first step of virus infection, and expressions of receptors on host cells are closely related to the host range of viruses. Murine leukemia virus is one retrovirus, and used for basic analysis because of its genetically simple structure. The receptor for ecotropic murine leukemia virus (Eco-MuLV) was identified at mouse cationic amino acid transporter-1 (mCAT-1). Eco-MuLV receptor was expressed only on the surface of Eco-MuLV susceptible murine cell lines. In cells that expressed Eco-MuLV envelope proteins; cells which have an endogenous MuLV, which are persistently infected with MuLV or which are transfected with envelope expression plasmids, cellular receptors were suggested to be interfered by the envelope protein. This interference was observed not only in cultured cells but also in cells from mouse. (Immune Response Section, Department of Immunology TEL +81-298-38-7790)
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