Enhancer Activity of Solitary Long Terminal Repeat of Human Endogenous Retrovirus K

The transient expression of the luciferase reporter gene was used to detect the tissue-specific enhancer activity of the solitary extraviral long terminal repeat (LTR) of the human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K). The LTR was previously mapped to the 19q13.2 locus. It contains a number of potential regulatory elements including TATA box, binding sites for some nuclear factors, and a polyadenylation signal. However, an analysis of the genomic sequences close to the LTR did not reveal any known genes or the expressed sequences (EST), whose functioning could be regulated by this LTR. The enhancer activity can be preserved in the solitary LTR due to its involvement in the long-range control of genome functioning or by the absence of functional disruptive mutations within the human-specific LTR, because it is of a relatively young evolutionary age.     

Z-DNA–Containing Long Terminal Repeats of Human Endogenous Retrovirus Families Provide Alternative Promoters for Human Functional Genes

Transposable elements (TEs) account for approximately 45% of the human genome. TEs have proliferated randomly and integrated into functional genes during hominoid radiation. They appear as right-handed B-DNA double helices and slightly elongated left-handed Z-DNAs. Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) families are widely distributed in human chromosomes at a ratio of 8%. They contain a 5′-long terminal repeat (LTR)-gag-pol-env-3′-LTR structure. LTRs contain the U3 enhancer and promoter region, transcribed R region, and U5 region. LTRs can influence host gene expression by acting as regulatory elements. In this review, we describe the alternative promoters derived from LTR elements that overlap Z-DNA by comparing Z-hunt and DeepZ data for human functional genes. We also present evidence showing the regulatory activity of LTR elements containing Z-DNA in GSDML. Taken together, the regulatory activity of LTR elements with Z-DNA allows us to understand gene function in relation to various human diseases.     

Sequence of the Long Terminal Repeat and Adjacent Segments of the Endogenous Avian Virus Rous-Associated Virus 0

Rous-associated virus 0 (RAV-0), an endogenous chicken virus, does not cause disease when inoculated into susceptible domestic chickens. An infectious unintegrated circular RAV-0 DNA was molecularly cloned, and the sequence of the long terminal repeat (LTR) and adjacent segments was determined. The sequence of the LTR was found to be very similar to that of replication-defective endogenous virus EV-1. Like the EV-1 LTR, the RAV-0 LTR is smaller (278 base pairs instead of 330) than the LTRs of the oncogenic members of the avian sarcoma virus-avian leukosis virus group. There is, however, significant homology. The most striking differences are in the U(3) region of the LTR, and in this region there are a series of small segments present in the oncogenic viruses which are absent in RAV-0. These differences in the U(3) region of the LTR could account for the differences in the oncogenic potential of RAV-0 and the avian leukosis viruses. I also compared the regions adjacent to the RAV-0 LTR with the available avian sarcoma virus sequences. A segment of approximately 200 bases to the right of the LTR (toward gag) is almost identical in RAV-0 and the Prague C strain of Rous sarcoma virus. The segment of RAV-0 which lies between the end of the env gene and U(3) is approximately 190 bases in length. Essentially this entire segment is present between env and src in the Schmidt-Ruppin A strain of Rous sarcoma virus. Most of this segment is also present between env and src in Prague C; however, in Prague C there is an apparent deletion of 40 bases in the region adjacent to env. In Schmidt-Ruppin A, but not in Prague C, about half of this segment is also present between src and the LTR. This arrangement has implications for the mechanism by which src was acquired. The region which encoded the gp37 portion of env appears to be very similar in RAV-0 and the Rous sarcoma viruses. However, differences at the very end of env imply that the carboxy termini of RAV-0, Schmidt-Ruppin A, and Prague C gp37s are significantly different. The implications of these observations are considered.     

Determination of Sequences Required for Human Endogenous Retrovirus K Transduction and Its Recognition by Foreign Retroviral Virions

Sequences necessary for transduction of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-K_con, a consensus of the HERV-K(HML-2) family, were analyzed and found to reside in the leader/gag region. They act in an orientation-dependent way and consist of at least two sites working together. Having defined these sequences, we exploited this information to produce a simple system to investigate to what extent virions of HERV-K_con, murine leukemia virus, and HIV-1 have the ability to transduce each other''s genomes, leading to potential contamination of gene therapy vectors.     

内源性逆转录病毒长末端重复序列在嗜酸性粒细胞增多症的基因表达及核苷酸序列分析

探索人内源性逆转录病毒长末端重复序列(LTR)基因及表达与嗜酸性粒细胞增多症发生的关系。PCR法检测嗜酸性粒细胞增多症患者外周血中内源性逆转录病毒长末端重复序列基因,RT-PCR法检测内源性逆转录病毒基因表达。变性高效液相分析和序列测定LTR片段核苷酸序列,对不同株基因序列作同源性的比较分析。PCR结果显示:20例嗜酸性粒细胞增多症患者细胞中均获得内源性逆转录病毒长末端重复序列扩增产物,嗜酸性粒细胞增多症组中长末端重复序列基因有高的表达,而正常人表达为阴性。与HERV-K家族LTR基因相应区域核苷酸序列比较;嗜酸性粒细胞增多组长末端重复序列U3、R、U5区同源性分析有核苷酸的改变,与淋巴瘤对照比较没有大片段的缺失。人类基因组中普遍存在逆转录病毒长末端重复序列。正常人和嗜酸性粒细胞增多症患者中长末端重复序列有不同程度核苷酸碱基的变异,但是,二者比较,这种改变与嗜酸性粒细胞的增多没有明显的相关性。在嗜酸性粒细胞增多症患者中有高的基因表达而正常人中没有可检出的病毒基因的表达,嗜酸粒细胞的增多可能与逆转录病毒基因表达水平有关,其诱导嗜酸粒细胞增多的机制需进一步的研究。     

In Vivo Footprinting of the Enhancer Sequences in the Upstream Long Terminal Repeat of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus: Differential Binding of Nuclear Factors in Different Cell Types

The enhancer sequences in the Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) long terminal repeat (LTR) are of considerable interest since they are crucial for virus replication and the ability of the virus to induce T lymphomas. While extensive studies have identified numerous nuclear factors that can potentially bind to M-MuLV enhancer DNA in vitro, it has not been made clear which of these factors are bound in vivo. To address this problem, we carried out in vivo footprinting of the M-MuLV enhancer in infected cells by in vivo treatment with dimethyl sulfate (DMS) followed by visualization through ligation-mediated PCR (LMPCR) and gel electrophoresis. In vivo DMS-LMPCR footprinting of the upstream LTR revealed evidence for factor binding at several previously characterized motifs. In particular, protection of guanines in the central LVb/Ets and Core sites within the 75-bp repeats was detected in infected NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, Ti-6 lymphoid cells, and thymic tumor cells. In contrast, factor binding at the NF-1 sites was found in infected fibroblasts but not in T-lymphoid cells. These results are consistent with the results of previous experiments indicating the importance of the LVb/Ets and Core sequences for many retroviruses and the biological importance especially of the NF-1 sites in fibroblasts and T-lymphoid cells. No evidence for factor binding to the glucocorticoid responsive element and LVa sites was found. Additional sites of protein binding included a region in the GC-rich sequences downstream of the 75-bp repeats (only in fibroblasts), a hypersensitive guanine on the minus strand in the LVc site (only in T-lymphoid cells), and a region upstream of the 75-bp repeats. These experiments provide concrete evidence for the differential in vivo binding of nuclear factors to the M-MuLV enhancers in different cell types.     

禽网状内皮组织增殖病病毒LTR序列的启动子功能

通过PCR方法,将禽网状内皮组织增殖病病毒(REV)的长末端重复序列(LTR)扩增并克隆进pUC-18质粒多克隆位点(MCS)的EcoR I和SacI之间,并以BGH基因的多聚腺苷酸序列作为终止子克隆到SphⅠ和Hind Ⅲ之间,构建成重组质粒pUC-LTR.将GFP基因和REV囊膜糖蛋白gp90基因分别克隆到pUC-LTR载体中,获得质粒pUC-LTR-GFP和质粒pUC-LTR-gp90.重组质粒经转染48h,能够检测到外源基因的表达.本研究提示,REV LTR能够作为启动子构建表达质粒.     

禽网状内皮组织增殖病病毒LTR序列的启动子功能

通过PCR方法,将禽网状内皮组织增殖病病毒(REV)的长末端重复序列(LTR)扩增并克隆进pUC-18质粒多克隆位点(MCS)的EcoR I和Sac I之间,并以BGH基因的多聚腺苷酸序列作为终止子克隆到SphI~HindIII之间,构建成重组质粒pUC-LTR。将GFP基因和REV囊膜糖蛋白gp90基因分别克隆到pUC-LTR载体中,获得质粒pUC-LTR-GFP和质粒pUC-LTR-gp90。重组质粒经转染48h,能够检测到外源基因的表达。本研究提示,REVLTR能够作为启动子构建表达质粒。     

A New Family of Retroviral Long Terminal Repeat Elements in the Human Genome Identified by Their Homologies to an Element 5′ to the Spider Monkey Haptoglobin Gene

A new family of retroviral long terminal repeats that we name Spm-LTR has been identified as a result of DNA sequence comparisons between the entire GenBank databank and an element, SPHP, located 5′ to the haptoglobin gene of spider monkeys. The 18 human Spm-LTR sequences so identified fall into three subtypes. There is no sequence similarity between Spm-LTR elements and any endogenous retroviral LTR sequences previously reported except for general features that define LTRs. However, a previously described repeated sequence (MER-4) forms a portion of the Spm-LTR sequence.     

Nucleotide Sequence of the Long Terminal Repeat and Flanking Cellular Sequences of Avian Endogenous Retrovirus ev-2: Variation in Rous-Associated Virus-0 Expression Cannot Be Explained by Differences in Primary Sequence

A fragment of chicken DNA containing the left long terminal repeat of endogenous retrovirus ev-2 and flanking cellular sequences has been molecularly cloned and analyzed. Comparison with sequence data from the analogous regions of ev-1 and Rous-associated virus-0 viral DNA reveals similarities among flanking regions of the integrated proviruses and among all three long terminal repeats. From the latter finding, we conclude that the difference in level of expression of ev-2 and its progeny Rous-associated virus-0 provirus cannot be due to sequence differences in their upstream long terminal repeats.     

Interleukin-Encoding Adenoviral Vectors as Genetic Adjuvant for Vaccination against Retroviral Infection

Interleukins (IL) are cytokines with stimulatory and modulatory functions in the immune system. In this study, we have chosen interleukins which are involved in the enhancement of T_H2 responses and B cell functions to analyze their potential to improve a prophylactic adenovirus-based anti-retroviral vaccine with regard to antibody and virus-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses. Mice were vaccinated with an adenoviral vector which encodes and displays the Friend Virus (FV) surface envelope protein gp70 (Ad.pIXgp70) in combination with adenoviral vectors encoding the interleukins IL4, IL5, IL6, IL7 or IL23. Co-application of Ad.pIXgp70 with Ad.IL5, Ad.IL6 or Ad.IL23 resulted in improved protection with high control over FV-induced splenomegaly and reduced viral loads. Mice co-immunized with adenoviral vectors encoding IL5 or IL23 showed increased neutralizing antibody responses while mice co-immunized with Ad.IL6 or Ad.IL23 showed improved FV-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses compared to mice immunized with Ad.pIXgp70 alone. We show that the co-application of adenoviral vectors encoding specific interleukins is suitable to improve the vaccination efficacy of an anti-retroviral vaccine. Improved protection correlated with improved CD4⁺ T cell responses and especially with higher neutralizing antibody titers. The co-application of selected interleukin-encoding adenoviral vectors is a valuable tool for vaccination with regard to enhancement of antibody mediated immunity.