Abstract
A human endogenous retroviral family (HERV-W) has recently been described that is related to multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) sequences. By using the PCR approach with human genomic DNA derived from cancer cell lines (HepG2, Jurkat, MCF7, UO-31), five env fragments of HERV-W family were newly identified and analyzed. They showed a high degree of nucleotide sequence similarity (94–99%) with that of the HERV-W. Translation of the env fragments showed no frameshift and termination codon by deletion/insertion or point mutation in clones HepG2-1 and JUR-3. The ratio of synonymous to non-synonymous substitutions indicated that negative selective pressure is acting on HepG2-1 and JUR-3 sequences. These env gene sequences could be associated with an active provirus in human cancer cells (HepG2 and Jurkat). The HepG2-1 and JUR-3 showed sister relationship with the HERV-W and W-7-1 derived from human Chromosome (Chr) 7. Phylogenetic analysis from the HERV-W family indicated close relationships of the env gene sequences across human chromosomes.
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Received: 12 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 July 2001
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Yi, JM., Kim, HM., Lee, WH. et al. Molecular Cloning and Phylogenetic Analysis of New Human Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-W Family in Cancer Cells. Curr Microbiol 44, 216–220 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-001-0033-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-001-0033-5