title: Presence of dUTPase in the various human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) families.
abstract: Various retroviruses have been shown to encode dUTPase. The overall phylogeny of dUTPase is unclear, though. The human genome contains a significant amount of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) representing fossilized sequences of ancient exogenous retroviruses. A few HERV families have been reported to harbor dUTPase domains. We surveyed the various HERV families for the presence of dUTPase and found that ancestors of all HERV-K families but one encoded dUTPase. With two exceptions phylogenetic analysis shows a monophyletic origin of dUTPase for the different HERV-K dUTPases. Sequences of consensus dUTPase domains suggest that the various exogenous ancestors of HERV-K once encoded active enzymes. Our analysis provides informations on dUTPase phylogeny and further shows that endogenous retroviruses provide important informations regarding retrovirus evolution.
authors.affiliation: Human Genetics, Building 60, University of Saar, Medical Faculty, 66421 Homburg, Germany. jens.mayer@uniklinik-saarland.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Eckart U
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Meese
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016384:Consensus Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011533:Proviruses / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; D010450:Endopeptidases; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C020020:dUTP pyrophosphatase