Nucleotide sequence of a full-length human endogenous retroviral segment.
The nucleotide sequence of a full-length (8.8-kilobase) endogenous C-type human retroviral DNA (clone 4-1) is presented and compared with that of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) DNA. Colinearity of deduced amino acids of clone 4-1 with MoMuLV in the gag and pol regions was clearly evident, and overall amino acid homology in these regions was about 40%. Identification of the putative N terminus of gag and p30, the gag-pol junction, and the C terminus of pol could be established on the basis of sequence homology with MoMuLV. Unique characteristics of the endogenous human retroviral DNA included a tRNA Glu primer binding site separated from the 5' long terminal repeat by a pentanucleotide and a putative env sequence which does not appear to overlap the C terminus of pol and has virtually no homology with the env gene of known infectious retroviruses. Clone 4-1 represents a defective prototype of a human C-type retrovirus which integrated into the germ line some time in the distant past.
D001483:Base Sequence; D003062:Codon / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*
D003062:Codon; D004279:DNA, Viral