title: The GOR47-1 sequence in human DNA encoding for a potential autoantigen in connection with hepatitis C--a sequence not only reserved for humans.
abstract: The sequence 'GOR47-1' is a consistent part of human DNA; the expressed polypeptide of it 'GOR' is accepted to be an autoantigen, and the anti-GOR an autoantibody. However, GOR47-1 was originally isolated through a cDNA clone from blood of a chimpanzee. This animal belonged to a series of chimpanzees, in which human plasma of a patient with non-A, non-B hepatitis had been passaged. To date, nothing is known how it is that this 'sequence GOR47-1' without recognizable self-replicating properties and allocated to the human genome could be isolated from a chimpanzee plasma. The aim of this study was to detect by polymerase chain reaction GOR47-1 sequences in healthy, anti-HCV-negative humans, HCV-positive patients, chimpanzee, snake, and in maize and tobacco plants. The GOR47-1 sequence is present not only in human DNA but also with a high degree of homology in chimpanzee DNA. Essential parts of this sequence are also present in DNA of a snake and the two plants listed above. Our findings reveal that the GOR47-1 sequence isolated from a chimpanzee was probably of the chimpanzee origin. This fact has not yet been considered up until now, when discussing the role of GOR/anti-GOR in humans particularly suffering from chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie & Hygiene, Medizinische Universität, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Dennin
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000235:genetics; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012911:Snakes / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens