An ancient family of human endogenous retroviruses encodes a functional homolog of the HIV-1 Rev protein.
The human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) family of endogenous retroviruses consists of approximately 50 proviral copies per haploid human genome. Herein, the HERV-Ks are shown to encode a sequence-specific nuclear RNA export factor, termed K-Rev, that is functionally analogous to the HIV-1 Rev protein. Like HIV-1 Rev, K-Rev binds to both the Crm1 nuclear export factor and to a cis-acting viral RNA target to activate nuclear export of unspliced RNAs. Surprisingly, this HERV-K RNA sequence, which is encoded within the HERV-K long terminal repeat, is also recognized by HIV-1 Rev. These data provide surprising evidence for an evolutionary link between HIV-1 and a group of endogenous retroviruses that first entered the human genome approximately 30 million years ago.
Yang
J
J
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Bogerd
H P
HP
Peng
S
S
Wiegand
H
H
Truant
R
R
Cullen
B R
BR
D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D028884:Karyopherins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000097606:Exportin 1 Protein
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015694:Gene Products, rev; D028884:Karyopherins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000097606:Exportin 1 Protein