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Related Concept Videos

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’...
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
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.
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...
LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
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...

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The evolution of endogenous viral elements.

Edward C Holmes1

  • 1Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ech15@psu.edu

Cell Host & Microbe
|October 25, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Eukaryotic genomes contain ancient viral sequences, including from RNA and DNA viruses. These endogenous viral elements (EVEs) reveal long-term host-virus evolutionary "arms races" and surprisingly old viral ancestries.

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

Published on: March 22, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Eukaryotic genomes commonly contain endogenous retroviruses.
  • Recent discoveries reveal integrated sequences from RNA viruses and single-stranded DNA viruses.
  • These endogenous viral elements (EVEs) offer insights into host-virus interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore evolutionary aspects of endogenous viral elements (EVEs).
  • To investigate the bias towards negative-sense RNA virus-derived EVEs.
  • To understand the ancient evolutionary history of viruses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on endogenous viral elements.
  • Analysis of evolutionary patterns and biases in EVEs.
  • Comparative genomics to assess viral family ancestries.

Main Results:

  • Eukaryotic genomes harbor diverse EVEs, not just retroviruses.
  • A bias exists towards EVEs originating from negative-sense RNA viruses.
  • Orthologous EVEs in divergent hosts suggest viral ancestries over 100 million years old.

Conclusions:

  • EVEs provide evidence of ancient host-virus co-evolutionary dynamics.
  • The discovery of EVEs significantly extends the known evolutionary timelines of certain viral families.
  • Understanding EVEs is crucial for reconstructing viral paleogenomics and host-pathogen interactions.