Sverdlov E D
Institute of Molecular Genetics RAS, Kurchatov Sq., 123182 Moscow, Russia.
Bioessays. 2000 Feb;22(2):161-71. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-1878(200002)22:2<161::AID-BIES7>3.0.CO;2-X.
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), probably representing footprints of ancient germ-cell retroviral infections, occupy about 1% of the human genome. HERVs can influence genome regulation through expression of retroviral genes, either via genomic rearrangements following HERV integrations or through the involvement of HERV LTRs in the regulation of gene expression. Some HERVs emerged in the genome over 30 MYr ago, while others have appeared rather recently, at about the time of hominid and ape lineages divergence. HERVs might have conferred antiviral resistance on early human ancestors, thus helping them to survive. Furthermore, newly integrated HERVs could have changed the pattern of gene expression and therefore played a significant role in the evolution and divergence of Hominoidea superfamily. Comparative analysis of HERVs, HERV LTRs, neighboring genes, and their regulatory interplay in the human and ape genomes will help us to understand the possible impact of HERVs on evolution and genome regulation in the primates. BioEssays 22:161-171, 2000.
人类内源性逆转录病毒（HERVs）可能代表着古代生殖细胞逆转录病毒感染的痕迹，约占人类基因组的1%。HERVs可通过逆转录病毒基因的表达影响基因组调控，其方式要么是HERV整合后发生基因组重排，要么是HERV长末端重复序列（LTRs）参与基因表达调控。一些HERVs在3000多万年前出现在基因组中，而其他一些则是在较近时期出现的，大约在人科动物和猿类谱系分化之时。HERVs可能赋予了早期人类祖先抗病毒能力，从而帮助他们存活下来。此外，新整合的HERVs可能改变了基因表达模式，因此在人猿总科的进化和分化中发挥了重要作用。对人类和猿类基因组中的HERVs、HERV LTRs、邻近基因及其调控相互作用进行比较分析，将有助于我们了解HERVs对灵长类动物进化和基因组调控的可能影响。《生物论文》22:161 - 171，2000年。
