title: Isolation and phylogeny of endogenous retrovirus sequences belonging to the HERV-W family in primates.
abstract: An investigation was undertaken of primate pol gene sequences from a novel endogenous retrovirus family, ERV-W, related to a new human endogenous retrovirus family (HERV-W) that includes multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) sequences identified in particles recovered from monocyte cultures from patients with multiple sclerosis. The pol gene sequences of the ERV-W family were detected in hominoids and Old World monkeys, but not in New World monkeys, whereas ERV-W long terminal repeat-like elements were detected in all primates (hominoids, Old World monkeys and New World monkeys). Thirty-two pol gene sequences from hominoids and Old World monkeys showed a high degree of sequence identity to MSRV and other HERV-W sequences. Phylogenetic analysis indicated close relationships of pol gene sequences across primate species. The analysis suggests that the ERV-W family has evolved independently but in constrained patterns ('parallel evolution') in different primate species, including man. The ratio of synonymous to non-synonymous substitutions indicated that negative selective pressure is acting on CHW1-1 from chimpanzee, HBW6-6 from baboon and HWX5 from man, sequences that have no disruption by point mutation or insertions/deletions. Therefore, these pol gene sequences could be associated with an active provirus in primates. The findings indicate that the ERV-W family has continued to evolve in the course of the primate radiation and may include members with a capacity to influence gene function and possibly cause disease.
authors.affiliation: POWIC, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK1.
authors.forename: Heui-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484, Japan 2.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.affiliation: POWIC, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK1.
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Crow
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015684:Gene Products, pol / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011323:Primates / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015684:Gene Products, pol