Human endogenous retroviruses: transposable elements with potential?
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are a significant component of a wider family of retroelements that constitute part of the human genome. These viruses, perhaps representative of previous exogenous retroviral infection, have been integrated and passed through successive generations within the germ line. The retention of HERVs and isolated elements, such as long-terminal repeats, could have the potential to harm. In this review we describe HERVs within the context of the family of known transposable elements and survey these viruses in terms of superantigens and molecular mimics. It is entirely possible that these mechanisms provide the potential for undesired immune responses.
Nelson
P N
PN
Research Institute in Healthcare Science, University of Wolverhampton, UK. P.N.NELSON@wlv.ac.uk
Hooley
P
P
Roden
D
D
Davari Ejtehadi
H
H
Rylance
P
P
Warren
P
P
Martin
J
J
Murray
P G
PG
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D020084:Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics; D020086:Short Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics; D018089:Superantigens / Q000235:genetics; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics; D016662:Virus Integration
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018089:Superantigens