Avian reticuloendotheliosis viruses: evolutionary linkage with mammalian type C retroviruses

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Abstract
Reticuloendotheliosis virus caused tumors in a variety of avian species. The major structural protein of these non-genetically transmitted viruses possesses antigenic determinants common to those of all known mammalian type C viruses. A mammalian origin for this oncogenic avian retrovirus group is establish. None of the known mammalian type C virus groups demonstrated a closer immunological relationship to avian reticuloendotheliosis viruses. Apparently reticuloendotheliosis viruses were non-genetically transmitted for a long period of evolution or they probably arose by relatively recent infection of birds with an as yet undiscovered endogenous mammalian type C retrovirus.