Further evidence from tryptic peptide analysis for heterogeneity among type D retroviruses.

Tryptic peptide analyses were performed on the major internal structural proteins of type D retroviruses isolated originally from subhuman primate species (MPMV, SMRV, LV) and from permanent human cell lines (HeLaV, HEp-2V, PMFV). The p25 peptide maps of MPMV, LV, PMFV and HEp-2V were very similar but showed a striking dissimilarity to the p25 map of HeLaV and the p35 map of SMRV. All type D viruses included in this study could be distinguished by peptide maps of at least two of their three low-molecular-weight proteins p10, p12 and p15. These studies further demonstrate the heterogeneity among type D retroviruses.