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Review
. 2013 Aug 12;368(1626):20120494.
doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0494. Print 2013 Sep 19.

On the concept and elucidation of endogenous retroviruses

Robin A Weiss  1
Affiliations
Review

On the concept and elucidation of endogenous retroviruses

Robin A Weiss. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. .

Abstract

Endogenous retrovirus (ERV) genomes integrated into the chromosomal DNA of the host were first detected in chickens and mice as Mendelian determinants of Gag and Env proteins and of the release of infectious virus particles. The presence of ERV was confirmed by DNA hybridization. With complete host genomes available for analysis, we can now see the great extent of viral invasion into the genomes of numerous vertebrate species, including humans. ERVs are found at many loci in host DNA and also in the genomes of large DNA viruses, such as herpesviruses and poxviruses. The evolution of xenotropism and cross-species infection is discussed in the light of the dynamic relationship between exogenous and endogenous retroviruses.

Keywords: Mendelian inheritance; germ-line infection; receptors; retrovirus; tropism.

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