Identification, phylogeny, and evolution of retroviral elements based on their envelope genes.

ABSTRACT: Phylogenetic analyses of retroviral elements, including endogenous retroviruses, have relied essentially on the retroviral pol gene expressing the highly conserved reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is essential for the life cycle of all retroid elements, but other genes are also endowed with conserved essential functions. Among them, the transmembrane (TM) subunit of the envelope gene is involved in virus entry through membrane fusion. It has also been reported to contain a domain, named the immunosuppressive domain, that has immunosuppressive properties most probably essential for virus spread within the host. This domain is conserved among a large series of retroviral elements, and we have therefore attempted to generate phylogenetic links between retroviral elements identified from dat

SUBMITTER: Benit L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC114757 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature