title: Cellular sequences in stealth viruses.
abstract: Cloned DNA obtained from the culture of an African green monkey simian cytomegalovirus-derived stealth virus contains multiple discrete regions of significant sequence homology (p values ranging from 4 x 10(-3) to 1 x 10(-20)) to portions of known human cellular genes. The stealth virus was cultured from a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Earlier studies had revealed considerable sequence heterogeneity within DNA fragments isolated from virus-infected cells. A set of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers generated different PCR products when tested on stealth virus cultures from 4 patients with CFS. Several of the PCR products also contain regions of significant partial homology to distinct cellular sequences, including sequences repetitively expressed throughout the cellular genome. Stealth viruses may play an important role in the origins and in the genetic diversity of both viral and cellular sequences.
authors.affiliation: Center for Complex Infectious Diseases, Rosemead, Calif 91770, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016208:Databases, Factual; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral