title: Molecular cloning and phylogenetic analysis of new human endogenous retrovirus HERV-W family in cancer cells.
abstract: A human endogenous retroviral family (HERV-W) has recently been described that is related to multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) sequences. By using the PCR approach with human genomic DNA derived from cancer cell lines (HepG2, Jurkat, MCF7, UO-31), five env fragments of HERV-W family were newly identified and analyzed. They showed a high degree of nucleotide sequence similarity (94-99%) with that of the HERV-W. Translation of the env fragments showed no frameshift and termination codon by deletion/insertion or point mutation in clones HepG2-1 and JUR-3. The ratio of synonymous to non-synonymous substitutions indicated that negative selective pressure is acting on HepG2-1 and JUR-3 sequences. These env gene sequences could be associated with an active provirus in human cancer cells (HepG2 and Jurkat). The HepG2-1 and JUR-3 showed sister relationship with the HERV-W and W-7-1 derived from human Chromosome (Chr) 7. Phylogenetic analysis from the HERV-W family indicated close relationships of the env gene sequences across human chromosomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan 609-735, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Mi
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hwan-Mook
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won-Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Heui-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015752:Genes, env; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral