Epigenetic motifs distinguishing endogenous from exogenous retroviral integrants.

ABSTRACT: Retroviruses are subject to epigenetic regulation by the host genome after integrating, similar to vertebrate genes. However, their patterns of integration, and therefore their likely epigenetic regulation, differ between genera. Beta- and gammaretroviruses are two types of simple retroviruses that have a strong tendency to infect germ cells and endogenize. While ancient endogenous retroviruses are often easy to spot due to mutations rendering them non-functional, more recent integrants can maintain the capacity for full viral production, making it sometimes difficult to discern which integrants are exogenous and likely more clinically relevant. Because endogenous retroviruses generally spend a longer time integrated and subject to host epigenetic regulation as proviral DNA, we hypothesize

SUBMITTER: LaMere S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12548410 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature