HERV-K(OLD): ancestor sequences of the human endogenous retrovirus family HERV-K(HML-2).

ABSTRACT: Sequences homologous to the human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) family HERV-K(HML-2) are present in all Old World primate species. A previous study showed that a central region of the HERV-K(HML-2) gag genes in Hominoidea species displays a 96-bp deletion compared to the gag genes in lower Old World primates. The more ancient HERV-K(HML-2) sequences present in lower Old World primates were apparently not conserved during hominoid evolution, as opposed to the deletion variants. To further clarify the evolutionary origin of the HERV-K(HML-2) family, we screened GenBank with the 96-bp gag-sequence characteristic of lower Old World primates and identified, to date, 10 human sequence entries harboring either full-length or partially deleted proviral structures, probably representing remnants of

SUBMITTER: Reus K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC114460 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature