Embryonic stem cells use ZFP809 to silence retroviral DNAs.

ABSTRACT: Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and other primitive stem cells of mice have been known for more than 30 years to potently block retrovirus replication. Infection of ESCs by the murine leukaemia viruses (MLVs) results in the normal establishment of integrated proviral DNA, but this DNA is then transcriptionally silenced, preventing further viral spread. The repression is largely mediated by trans-acting factors that recognize a conserved sequence element termed the primer binding site, an 18-base pair sequence complementary to the 3' end of a cellular transfer RNA. A specific tRNA is annealed to the primer binding site sequence of the viral genomic RNA, and is used to prime DNA synthesis. This same sequence in the context of the integrated proviral DNA is targeted for silencing in ESCs. We have

SUBMITTER: Wolf D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2676211 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature