Human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K113 is capable of producing intact viral particles.
Of all human endogenous retroviruses known today, HERV-K is the only one that has been shown to produce viral particles. While the first of the approximately 30 HERV-K sequences integrated into the human genome more than 40 million years ago, evidence is accumulating that HERV-K was active more recently, provirus HERV-K113 being the youngest sequence found. However, it is unclear which HERV-K sequences code for the viral particles that are produced by human germ-cell tumours or melanomas. Here, we show that the provirus HERV-K113, cloned into a baculovirus expression vector, is capable of producing intact particles of retroviral morphology, exhibiting the typical structure of those particles that were characterized in cell lines derived from human germ-cell tumours. Thus, the HERV-K113 sequence is a candidate for particle production in vivo and for an active human endogenous retrovirus of today.
Boller
Klaus
K
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
Schönfeld
Kurt
K
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
Lischer
Stefanie
S
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
Fischer
Nicole
N
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
Hoffmann
Andreas
A
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
Kurth
Reinhard
R
Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
Tönjes
Ralf R
RR
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D011533:Proviruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
D004279:DNA, Viral