Human endogenous retroviruses: transposable elements with potential?

P N Nelson; P Hooley; D Roden; H Davari Ejtehadi; P Rylance; P Warren; J Martin; P G Murray; Molecular Immunology Research Group

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2004.02592.x

PubMed · 15373898

Human endogenous retroviruses: transposable elements with potential?

P N Nelson·P Hooley·D Roden·H Davari Ejtehadi·P Rylance·P Warren·J Martin·P G Murray·Molecular Immunology Research Group

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Abstract

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are a significant component of a wider family of retroelements that constitute part of the human genome. These viruses, perhaps representative of previous exogenous retroviral infection, have been integrated and passed through successive generations within the germ line. The retention of HERVs and isolated elements, such as long-terminal repeats, could have the potential to harm. In this review we describe HERVs within the context of the family of known transposable elements and survey these viruses in terms of superantigens and molecular mimics. It is entirely possible that these mechanisms provide the potential for undesired immune responses.

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DNA Transposable Elements DNA, Viral Endogenous Retroviruses Evolution, Molecular Genome, Human Humans Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements Retroviridae Infections Short Interspersed Nucleotide Elements Superantigens Terminal Repeat Sequences Virus Integration Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

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P N Nelson, P Hooley, D Roden, H Davari Ejtehadi, P Rylance, P Warren, J Martin, P G Murray, Molecular Immunology Research Group. 2004. Human endogenous retroviruses: transposable elements with potential?. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2249.2004.02592.x

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