Avian leukosis virus (ALV), the prototypical alpharetrovirus, causes tumorigenesis, immunosuppression, and wasting disease in poultry. The ALV genus is classified into ten subgroups, which differ in their host range, cell tropism, and receptor usage. The subgroups A, B, K, and J cause significant economic losses worldwide. The most recently discovered subgroup, ALV-K, which is now widespread in China, has been shown to use the tva cell receptor and share it with ALV-A. However, the specific amino acid residues crucial for ALV-K host cell entry remain unknown. Using precise tva expression and chimeric tva receptors, we further elucidated the significance of the cysteine-rich domain in mediating interactions with both ALV-A and ALV-K. Through a comprehensive analysis of mutated tva receptor variants, we pinpointed tryptophan at position 33 (W33) as a pivotal amino acid residue essential for ALV-K virus binding and entry. Of note is the finding that the substitution of W33 induced resistance to ALV-K while preserving sensitivity to ALV-A. This study not only represents an advance in the understanding of the specificity of the tva receptor for ALV-K, but also offers a biotechnological strategy for the prevention of ALV-K infections in poultry.

• Klíčová slova
• avian leukosis virus, chicken, guineafowl, tva receptor,
• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• internalizace viru * MeSH
• kur domácí MeSH
• nemoci drůbeže virologie   MeSH
• přichycení viru * MeSH
• ptačí leukóza virologie   MeSH
• ptačí proteiny MeSH
• substituce aminokyselin MeSH
• virové receptory * genetika   metabolismus   chemie   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy * fyziologie   genetika   klasifikace   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ptačí proteiny MeSH
• Tva receptor MeSH Prohlížeč
• virové receptory * MeSH

Genetic editing of the germline using CRISPR/Cas9 technology has made it possible to alter livestock traits, including the creation of resistance to viral diseases. However, virus adaptability could present a major obstacle in this effort. Recently, chickens resistant to avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) were developed by deleting a single amino acid, W38, within the ALV-J receptor NHE1 using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. This resistance was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro resistance of W38-/- chicken embryonic fibroblasts to all tested ALV-J strains was shown. To investigate the capacity of ALV-J for further adaptation, we used a retrovirus reporter-based assay to select adapted ALV-J variants. We assumed that adaptive mutations overcoming the cellular resistance would occur within the envelope protein. In accordance with this assumption, we isolated and sequenced numerous adapted virus variants and found within their envelope genes eight independent single nucleotide substitutions. To confirm the adaptive capacity of these substitutions, we introduced them into the original retrovirus reporter. All eight variants replicated effectively in W38-/- chicken embryonic fibroblasts in vitro while in vivo, W38-/- chickens were sensitive to tumor induction by two of the variants. Importantly, receptor alleles with more extensive modifications have remained resistant to the virus. These results demonstrate an important strategy in livestock genome engineering towards antivirus resistance and illustrate that cellular resistance induced by minor receptor modifications can be overcome by adapted virus variants. We conclude that more complex editing will be necessary to attain robust resistance.

• MeSH
• CRISPR-Cas systémy MeSH
• editace genu MeSH
• fibroblasty virologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• kur domácí * virologie   MeSH
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• molekulární evoluce MeSH
• nemoci drůbeže virologie   genetika   MeSH
• odolnost vůči nemocem genetika   MeSH
• proteiny virového obalu genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ptačí leukóza * virologie   genetika   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy * genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• proteiny virového obalu MeSH

The chicken Tva cell surface protein, a member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, has been identified as an entry receptor for avian leukosis virus of classic subgroup A and newly emerging subgroup K. Because both viruses represent an important concern for the poultry industry, we introduced a frame-shifting deletion into the chicken tva locus with the aim of knocking-out Tva expression and creating a virus-resistant chicken line. The tva knock-out was prepared by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in chicken primordial germ cells and orthotopic transplantation of edited cells into the testes of sterilized recipient roosters. The resulting tva -/- chickens tested fully resistant to avian leukosis virus subgroups A and K, both in in vitro and in vivo assays, in contrast to their susceptible tva +/+ and tva +/- siblings. We also found a specific disorder of the cobalamin/vitamin B12 metabolism in the tva knock-out chickens, which is in accordance with the recently recognized physiological function of Tva as a receptor for cobalamin in complex with transcobalamin transporter. Last but not least, we bring a new example of the de novo resistance created by CRISPR/Cas9 editing of pathogen dependence genes in farm animals and, furthermore, a new example of gene editing in chicken.

• Klíčová slova
• avian leukosis virus subgroups A/K, gene editing in chicken, tva, vitamin B12/cobalamin,
• MeSH
• editace genu MeSH
• genový knockout MeSH
• kur domácí virologie   MeSH
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• kyselina methylmalonová krev   MeSH
• posunová mutace MeSH
• ptačí proteiny genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• virové receptory genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy klasifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• vitamin B 12 metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kyselina methylmalonová MeSH
• ptačí proteiny MeSH
• Tva receptor MeSH Prohlížeč
• virové receptory MeSH
• vitamin B 12 MeSH

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an important concern for the poultry industry. Replication of ALV-J depends on a functional cellular receptor, the chicken Na+/H+ exchanger type 1 (chNHE1). Tryptophan residue number 38 of chNHE1 (W38) in the extracellular portion of this molecule is a critical amino acid for virus entry. We describe a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of W38 in chicken primordial germ cells and the successful production of the gene-edited birds. The resistance to ALV-J was examined both in vitro and in vivo, and the ΔW38 homozygous chickens tested ALV-J-resistant, in contrast to ΔW38 heterozygotes and wild-type birds, which were ALV-J-susceptible. Deletion of W38 did not manifest any visible side effect. Our data clearly demonstrate the antiviral resistance conferred by precise CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in the chicken. Furthermore, our highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in primordial germ cells represents a substantial addition to genotechnology in the chicken, an important food source and research model.

• Klíčová slova
• CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in chicken, Na+/H+ exchanger type 1, avian leukosis virus subgroup J, disease resilience in poultry, primordial germ cells,
• MeSH
• CRISPR-Cas systémy MeSH
• editace genu MeSH
• geneticky modifikovaná zvířata genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• kur domácí MeSH
• nemoci drůbeže genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• odolnost vůči nemocem MeSH
• ptačí leukóza genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• ptačí proteiny genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• sodíko-vodíkový výměnný transportér 1 genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy klasifikace   genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ptačí proteiny MeSH
• sodíko-vodíkový výměnný transportér 1 MeSH

Avian leukosis virus subgroup K (ALV-K) is composed of newly emerging isolates, which, in sequence analyses, cluster separately from the well-characterized subgroups A, B, C, D, E, and J. However, it remains unclear whether ALV-K represents an independent ALV subgroup with regard to receptor usage, host range, and superinfection interference. In the present study, we examined the host range of the Chinese infectious isolate JS11C1, an ALV-K prototype, and we found substantial overlap of species that were either resistant or susceptible to ALV-A and JS11C1. Ectopic expression of the chicken tva gene in mammalian cells conferred susceptibility to JS11C1, while genetic ablation of the tva gene rendered chicken DF-1 cells resistant to infection by JS11C1. Thus, tva expression is both sufficient and necessary for JS11C1 entry. Receptor sharing was also manifested in superinfection interference, with preinfection of cells with ALV-A, but not ALV-B or ALV-J, blocking subsequent JS11C1 infection. Finally, direct binding of JS11C1 and Tva was demonstrated by preincubation of the virus with soluble Tva, which substantially decreased viral infectivity in susceptible chicken cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that JS11C1 represents a new and bona fide ALV subgroup that utilizes Tva for cell entry and binds to a site other than that for ALV-A.IMPORTANCE ALV consists of several subgroups that are particularly characterized by their receptor usage, which subsequently dictates the host range and tropism of the virus. A few newly emerging and highly pathogenic Chinese ALV strains have recently been suggested to be an independent subgroup, ALV-K, based solely on their genomic sequences. Here, we performed a series of experiments with the ALV-K strain JS11C1, which showed its dependence on the Tva cell surface receptor. Due to the sharing of this receptor with ALV-A, both subgroups were able to interfere with superinfection. Because ALV-K could become an important pathogen and a significant threat to the poultry industry in Asia, the identification of a specific receptor could help in the breeding of resistant chicken lines with receptor variants with decreased susceptibility to the virus.

• Klíčová slova
• Tva, avian leukosis virus K, host range, resistance/susceptibility to retrovirus, retrovirus receptor, superinfection interference,
• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• fibroblasty cytologie   metabolismus   virologie   MeSH
• internalizace viru MeSH
• křeček rodu Mesocricetus MeSH
• kur domácí MeSH
• náchylnost k nemoci MeSH
• ptačí leukóza genetika   metabolismus   virologie   MeSH
• ptačí proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• virové receptory genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy klasifikace   patogenita   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ptačí proteiny MeSH
• Tva receptor MeSH Prohlížeč
• virové receptory MeSH

Avian leukosis viruses (ALVs), which are pathogens of concern in domestic poultry, utilize specific receptor proteins for cell entry that are both necessary and sufficient for host susceptibility to a given ALV subgroup. This unequivocal relationship offers receptors as suitable targets of selection and biotechnological manipulation with the aim of obtaining virus-resistant poultry. This approach is further supported by the existence of natural knock-outs of receptor genes that segregate in inbred lines of chickens. We used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools to introduce frame-shifting indel mutations into tva, tvc, and tvj loci encoding receptors for the A, C, and J ALV subgroups, respectively. For all three loci, the homozygous frame-shifting indels generating premature stop codons induced phenotypes which were fully resistant to the virus of respective subgroup. In the tvj locus, we also obtained in-frame deletions corroborating the importance of W38 and the four amino-acids preceding it. We demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-out or the fine editing of ALV receptor genes might be the first step in the development of virus-resistant chickens.

• Klíčová slova
• CRISPR/Cas9, avian leukosis virus, retrovirus receptor, virus-resistance in chicken,
• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• CRISPR-Cas systémy * MeSH
• editace genu * MeSH
• genetické techniky MeSH
• genetické vektory genetika   MeSH
• kur domácí MeSH
• odolnost vůči nemocem genetika   MeSH
• ptačí leukóza genetika   virologie   MeSH
• sekvence nukleotidů MeSH
• virové geny MeSH
• virové receptory genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• virus ptačí leukózy fyziologie   MeSH
• vodící RNA, systémy CRISPR-Cas MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• virové receptory MeSH
• vodící RNA, systémy CRISPR-Cas MeSH