What is the Difference Between Lentivirus and Retrovirus?

Lentiviruses and retroviruses are both members of the retroviridae family, but they differ in their ability to infect and transduce cells. The main differences between lentiviruses and retroviruses include:

1. Infection of dividing and non-dividing cells: Retroviruses, such as gamma-retroviruses, can only infect dividing cells, making them suitable for studying neuronal development and cell fate. In contrast, lentiviruses can infect both dividing and non-dividing (postmitotic) cells, such as neurons, making them widely used in neuroscience experiments and gene therapy.
2. Transduction during mitosis: Retrovirus vectors only transduce cells during mitosis, while lentiviral vectors can transduce cells independently of their division status. This characteristic makes lentiviral vectors ideal for gene therapy of highly differentiated, postmitotic cells.
3. Viral structure and genes: Lentiviruses are characterized by the presence of accessory and regulatory genes that are not found in simple retroviruses. During lentivirus infection, the viral double-stranded DNA is transported into the nucleus, allowing it to integrate into the genome of both dividing and non-dividing cells. In contrast, simple retroviruses can only transport their genetic material into the nucleus during cell division.
4. Viral vectors: Lentiviral vectors have been developed from complex retroviruses and have properties that overcome several limitations of simple retroviral vectors, including higher virion stability and titers, and a lower frequency of insertional mutagenesis. Lentiviral vectors are now widely used in biomedicine as an alternative to gamma-retrovirus vectors.

In summary, while both lentiviruses and retroviruses are retroviridae, lentiviruses can infect and transduce a wider variety of cell types, including non-dividing cells, making them more versatile for research and gene therapy applications.

Comparative Table: Lentivirus vs Retrovirus

Here is a table highlighting the differences between lentiviruses and retroviruses:

Lentiviruses are a subtype of retrovirus and share many similarities, such as being RNA viruses and enveloped viruses. However, there are key differences between the two. Lentiviruses are capable of causing long incubation periods and slow progression of diseases, while retroviruses have shorter incubation periods and faster disease progression. Additionally, lentiviruses can infect both dividing and non-dividing cells, whereas retroviruses primarily infect dividing cells.