RD-114 virus story: from RNA rumor virus to a useful viral tool for elucidating the world cats' journey

Abstract

RD-114 virus is a feline endogenous retrovirus (ERV) isolated from human rhabdomyosarcoma in 1971 and classified as endogenous gammaretrovirus in domestic cats (Felis catus). Based on the previous reports in 70's, it has been considered that a horizontal, infectious event occurred to transfer the virus from ancient baboon species to ancient cat species, whereupon it became endogenous in the cat species about several million years ago in Mediterranean Basin. Although it has been believed that all domestic cats harbor infectious RD-114 provirus in their genome, we revealed that cats do not have infectious RD-114 viral loci, but infectious RD-114 virus is resurrected by recombination between uninfectious RD-114 virus-related ERVs [here we designated them as RD-114-related sequences (RDRSs)]. Further, we also revealed the RDRSs which would potentially be resurrected as RD-114 virus (here we refer to them as ''new'' RDRSs) had entered the genome of the domestic cat after domestication of the cat around 10 thousand years ago. The fractions and positions of RDRSs in the cat genome differed in Western and Eastern cat populations and cat breeds. Our study revealed that RDRS would be a useful tool for elucidating the world travel routes of domestic cats after domestication.