• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.159-165
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to identify the PERV (Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus) integration sites and their characterizations using the porcine genomic sequence information. Total 114 Mb (4.2%) sequence of the 2.7 Gb pig genome was investigated for the PERV sequences. As the results, 8 PERV sequences were identified and their genomic structures were deduced from the BLAST searches against previously known PERV genes. Seven PERVs have internal deletions in the protein coding region and they will not be functional. The other one also has internal deletions in the gag and env genes, indicating this PERV is also defective. Even though we could not identify the functional PERVs in this study, the results presented here can be used for the fundamental research materials for controlling PERV infections in relation to xenotransplantation using porcine organs and tissues.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.142-147
• /
• 2008

We recently used degenerate PCR and locus-specific PCR methods to identify the endogenous retroviruses (ERV) in the bovine genome. Using the ovine ERV classification system, the bovine ERVs (BERVs) could be classified into four families. Here, we searched the most recently released bovine genome database with the partial nucleotide sequence of the pro/pol region of the BERV ${\beta}3$ family. This allowed us to obtain and analyze the complete genome of BERV ${\beta}3$. The BERV ${\beta}3$ genome is 7666 nucleotides long and has the typical retroviral organization, namely, 5'-long terminal repeat (LTR)-gag-pro-pol-env-LTR-3'. The deduced open reading frames for gag, pro, pol and env of BERV ${\beta}3$ en- code 507, 271, 879 and 603 amino acids, respectively. BERV ${\beta}3$ showed little amino acid similarity to other betaretroviruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that it clusters with HERV-K. This is the first report describing the genetic structure and sequence of an entire BERV.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.83-86
• /
• 2001

The long terminal repeat (LTR) elements of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) have been found to be coexpressed with genes located nearby. It has been suggested that the LTR elements have contributed to the genetic variation of human genome connected to various diseases. Recently, HERV-W family was identified in the cerebrospinal fluids and brains of individuals with schizophrenia. Using genomic DNAs derived from schizophrenia, we performed PCR amplification and identified six HERV-W LTR elements. Those LTR elements showed a high degree of sequence similarity (87.7-99.5%) with HERV-W LTR (AF072500). Sequence analysis of the HERV-W LTR elements revealed that clone W-sch1 showed identical sequence with the AC003014 (PAC clone RP1-290B4) derived from human Xq23. Clone W-sch2 was closely related to the AC0072442 derived from human Y chromosome by phylogenetic analysis. Our data suggest that new HERV-W LTR elements in schizophrenia may be very useful for further studies to understand neuropsychiatric diseases.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.167-170
• /
• 2002

The long terminal repeats (LTRs) of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) have been found to be coexpressed with sequences of closely located genes. It has been suggested that the LTR elements have contributed to the structural change or genetic variation of human genome connected to various diseases and evolution. We examined the HERV-W LTR elements in various cancer cells (2F7, A43l , A549, HepG2, MIA-PaCa-2, PC-3, RT4, SiHa, U-937, and UO-31). Using genomic DNA from the cancer cells, we performed PCR amplification and identified twelve new HERV-W LTR elements. Those LTR elements showed a high degree of sequence similarity (88-99％) with HERV-W LTR (AF072500). A phylogenetic tree obtained by the neighbor-joining method revealed that HERV-W LTR elements could be mainly divided into two groups through evolutionary divergence. Three HERV-W LTR elements (RT4-2, A43l-1, and UO3l-2) belonged to Group 1, whereas nine LTR elements (2F7-2, A549-1, A549-3, HepG2-3, MP2-2, PC3-1, SiHa-8, SiHa-10, and U937-1) belonged to Group 11. Taken together, our new sequence data of the HERV-W LTR elements may contribute to an understanding of tissue-specific cancer by genomic instability of LTR integration.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.45-49
• /
• 2000

Long terminal repeat (LTR) of human endogenous retrovirus K family (HERV-K) has been found to be coexpressed with sequences of closely located genes. We examined the transcribed HERV-K LTR elements in human liver and kidney tissues. Using the cDNA synthesized from mRNA of human liver and kidney, we performed PCR amplification and identified six HERV-K LTR elements. Those LTR elements showed a high degree of sequence similarity (93.3∼96.6%) with human-specific LTR. A phylogenetic tree obtained by the neighbor-joining method revealed that HERV-K LTR elements (Liv-1, 2, 3 and Kid-1, 2, 3) were belonged to group I. Our data suggests that HERV-K LTR elements are active on human liver and kidney tissues and may represent a source of genetic variation connected to human disease.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.133-137
• /
• 2001

Long terminal repeats (LTRs) of the human endogenous retrovirus K family (HERV-K) have been found to be coexpressed with sequences of genes closely located nearby. We examined transcribed HERV-K LTR elements in human brain tissue. Using cDNA synthesized from mRNA of the human brain, we performed PCR amplification and identified ten HERV-K LTR elements. These LTR elements showed a high degree of sequence similarity (92.4-99.7%) with the human-specific LTR elements. A phylogenetic tree obtained by the neighbor-joining method revealed that HERV-K LTR elements could be divided into two groups through evolutionary divergence. Some HERV-K LTR elements (HKL-B7, HKL-B8, HKL-B10) belonging to the group II from human brain cDNA were closely related to the human-specific HERV-K LTR elements. Our data suggest that HERV-K LTR element are active in the human brain; they could conceivably play a pathogenic role in human diseases such as psychosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.585-590
• /
• 2008

Human tropic Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) are the major concern in zoonosis for xenotransplantation because PERVs cannot be eliminated by specific pathogen-free breeding. Recently, a PERV A/C recombinant with PERV-C bearing PERV-A gp70 showed a higher infectivity (approximately 500-fold) to human cells than PERV-A. Additionally, the chance of recombination between PERVs and HERVs is frequently stated as another risk of xenografting. Overcoming zoonotic barriers in xenotransplantation is more complicated by recombination. To achieve successful xenotransplantation, studies on the recombination in PERVs are important. Here, we cloned and sequenced proviral PERV env sequences from pig gDNAs to analyze natural recombination. The envelope is the most important element in retroviruses as a pivotal determinant of host tropisms. As a result, a total of 164 PERV envelope genes were cloned from pigs (four conventional pigs and two miniature pigs). Distribution analysis and recombination analysis of PERVs were performed. Among them, five A/B recombinant clones were identified. Based on our analysis, we determined the minimum natural recombination frequency among PERVs to be 3%. Although a functional recombinant envelope clone was not found, our data evidently show that the recombination event among PERVs may occur naturally in pigs with a rather high possibility.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.66.2-66
• /
• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.325.3-326
• /
• 2002

An imbalance between matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and its endogenous inhibitor. tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 causes the degradation of the extracellular matrix associated with pathological events including invasion. metastasis and angiogenesis. Since TIMPs are secreted molecules. they have the potential to be used for gene therapy of certain tumors. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
• /
• 2002.09a
• /
• pp.77-78
• /
• 2002