Molecular interactions between retroviruses and herpesviruses.

Human and animal herpesviruses are able to stimulate gene expression of various human and animal retroviruses and the activation appears to be a common theme. It is of interest why the retroviruses can be commonly activated by herpesviruses despite clear diversities in each mechanism for retrovirus gene expression. In this review, three typical examples of the interactions; human immunodeficiency virus and human herpesviruses, avian retroviruses and Marek's disease virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus and feline herpesvirus type I will be given to respond the above question on the basis of the comparative study of molecular interactions.