Biochemical Characterization of the Virus Causing Leukoencephalitis and Arthritis in Goats

Goat leukoencephalitis-arthritis virus (GLV) has the density of a retrovirus in sucrose and contains an endogenous RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase). The virion reverse transcriptase utilizes the synthetic RNA template poly(rA).(dT)₁₂ but not the synthetic DNA template poly(dA).(dT)₁₂. A high mol. wt. RNA similar in size to visna virus RNA was isolated from ³H-uridine-labelled virions. The major structural protein of GLV has the same mol. wt. as that of visna virus. From these data the GLV appears to be a retrovirus.