- 作者: Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen; Finn Skou Pedersen
- 作者服務機構: Departmients of Molecular and Structural Biology and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Aarhus, Denmark
- 中文摘要: --
- 英文摘要: Retroviral particles contain a diploid RNA genome whichserves as template for the synthesis of double-strandedDNA in a complex process guided by virus-encodedreverse transcriptase. The dimeric nature of the genomeallows the proceeding polymerase to switch templatesduring copying of the copackaged RNA molecules, lead-ing to the generation of recombinant proviruses that har-bor genetic information derived from both parentalRNAs. Template switching abilities of reverse transcrip-tase facilitate the development of mosaic retroviruseswith altered functional properties and thereby contributeto the restoration and evolution of retroviruses facingaltering selective forces of their environment. This re-view focuses on the genetic patchwork of retrovirusesand how mixing of sequence patches by recombinationmay lead to repair in terms of re-established replicationand facilitate increased viral fitness, enhanced pathogen-is potential, and altered virus tropisms. Endogenousretroelements represent an affluent source of functionalviral sequences which may hitchhike with virions andserve as sequence donors in patch repair. We describehere the involvement of endogenous viruses in geneticreassortment and patch repair and review importantexamples derived from cell culture and animal studies.Moreover, we discuss how the patch repair phenome-non may challenge both safe usage of retrovirus-basedgene vehicles in human gene therapy and the use of ani-mal organs as xenografts in humans. Finally, the ongo-ing mixing of distinct human immunodeficiency virusstrains and its implications for antiviral treatment is dis-cussed.
- 中文關鍵字: --
- 英文關鍵字: --