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Foamy viruses, also known as spumaviruses, are complex retroviruses which make up a subfamily of Retroviridae family. This class of viruses can naturally infect a variety of animals including non-human primates (NHPs). Spumaretroviruses are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects of molecular biology such as assembly and release of enveloped viral particles. There are three major proteins that are encoded within the retroviral genome, namely, group antigens (Gag), envelope protein (Env), and reverse transcriptase (Pol). Both Gag and Env as components of the minimal assembly and the release machinery display substantial variations in their molecular structures and functions compared to other retroviruses. Some of the distinct features of spumaretroviruses, which are not found in other retroviruses, are genome coding strategy, sequence features, mode and timing of Gag polyprotein processing, and packaging and activation of the Pol gene-associated enzymatic functions. This book provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the microbiology and immunology of foamy viruses. Researchers and students in the field of medical microbiology will be greatly assisted by it.
