Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2026

Amplification, Next-generation Sequencing, and Genomic DNA Mapping of Retroviral Integration Sites
09:31

Amplification, Next-generation Sequencing, and Genomic DNA Mapping of Retroviral Integration Sites

Published on: March 22, 2016

Small tumor virus genomes are integrated near nuclear matrix attachment regions in transformed cells

K A Shera1, C A Shera, J K McDougall

  • 1Cancer Biology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109-1024, USA.

Journal of Virology
|November 17, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Viral integration near nuclear matrix attachment regions (MARs) in tumor cells suggests MARs regulate viral gene expression, offering insights into viral carcinogenesis and eukaryotic gene regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Over 15% of human cancers are linked to viral infections.
  • Benign viral lesions typically feature extrachromosomal viral genomes.
  • Malignant transformation often involves viral genome integration into host DNA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of viral integration in tumorigenesis.
  • To analyze the genomic locations of integrated viral DNA in tumors and cell lines.
  • To understand the relationship between viral integration and host cell chromatin.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of integrated viral genome positions in tumors and cell lines induced by oncogenic viruses (HPVs, HBV, SV40, HTLV-1).
  • Comparison of integration sites in neoplastic versus non-neoplastic cells.
  • Identification of host cell sequences near integration sites, specifically nuclear matrix attachment regions (MARs).

Main Results:

  • Viral integrations in tumor cells were found to be located near MARs.
  • Integrations in non-neoplastic cells did not show a significant correlation with MARs.
  • This suggests MARs may influence the transcriptional regulation of integrated viral genomes.

Conclusions:

  • Integrated tumor virus genomes appear to be subject to MAR-mediated transcriptional regulation.
  • This finding provides insight into the mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis.
  • The study also sheds light on fundamental mechanisms regulating eukaryotic gene expression.

More Related Videos

Retroviral Scanning: Mapping MLV Integration Sites to Define Cell-specific Regulatory Regions10:10

Retroviral Scanning: Mapping MLV Integration Sites to Define Cell-specific Regulatory Regions

Published on: May 28, 2017

Identification of Functionally-Relevant Lentivirus Integration Sites in an Insertional Mutagenesis Cell Library07:28

Identification of Functionally-Relevant Lentivirus Integration Sites in an Insertional Mutagenesis Cell Library

Published on: January 10, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
Retroviruses02:33

Retroviruses

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...