Viral sequence integration into introns of chemokine receptor genes.
Viral DNA sequences are able to integrate into the non-coding DNA sections of the genome of human cells which have been infected, either spontaneously or experimentally. We have made a data-base search for integration events of non-endogenous viruses into the introns of chemokine receptor sequences. A BLAST search of all viral DNA sequences, using the intronic sequences as "Query," returned several significant alignments. However, due to the high reiteration rate of the non-coding sequences in the human genome, it became necessary to re-examine the individual alignments to verify whether the virus-flanking intronic sequence was really located in a chemokine receptor intron. We found only one unquestionable event of viral insertion of a section of a long terminal repeat of the murine leukemia virus within the first intron of the CC chemokine receptor 7 gene. Possible biological effects of such an insertion are discussed. Further experimental or clinical research could demonstrate the occurrence of other intronic viral insertions in human chemokine receptor genes.
Panaro
Maria Antonietta
MA
Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. ma.panaro@anatomia.uniba.it
Calvello
Rosa
R
Lisi
Sabrina
S
Saccia
Matteo
M
Mitolo
Carlo Ivan
CI
Cianciulli
Antonia
A
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D016662:Virus Integration / Q000235:genetics*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine