title: Viruses and the placenta: the essential virus first view.
abstract: A virus first perspective is presented as an alternative hypothesis to explain the role of various endogenized retroviruses in the origin of the mammalian placenta. It is argued that virus-host persistence is a key determinant of host survival and the various ERVs involved have directly affected virus-host persistence.
authors.affiliation: Center for Virus Research, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Luis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Villarreal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D017988:Gammaretrovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Virus evolution; endogenous retroviruses; host evolution; placenta