title: Promoter activity analysis and methylation characterization of LTR elements of PERVs in NIH miniature pig.
abstract: The potential risk of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) transmission is an important issue in xenotransplantation (pig-to-human transplantation). Long terminal repeats (LTRs) in PERV elements show promoter activity that could affect neighboring functional genes. The methylation status and promoter activities of 3 LTR structures (PERV-LTR1, LTR2, and LTR3 elements) belonging to the PERV-A family were examined using luciferase reporter genes in human liver cell lines (HepG2 and Hep3B). The PERV LTR3 element exhibited hypomethylation and stronger promoter activity than the other LTR elements in human liver cells. We also performed comparative sequences analysis of the PERV LTR elements by using bioinformatics tools. Our findings showed that several transcription factors such as Nkx2-2 and Elk-1 positively influenced the high transcriptional activity of the PERV LTR3 element.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yi-Deun
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Ja-Rang
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yun-Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hong-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Keon-Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Gi-Sun
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Bong-Hwan
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Heui-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019175:DNA Methylation; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D000090322:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States