Genome Endogenated Viruses

Question 1

What is the amount of endogenous DNA in our chromosomes?

Answer 1

8%

Question 2

What are transposons?

Answer 2

Mobile DNA discovered by Barbara McClintock in 1940s

Question 3

Transposons are believed to be _______

Answer 3

Viral remnants trapped in our genome

Question 4

How do transposons move from place to place?

Answer 4

Cut and paste or copy paste

Question 5

What is an EVE? Describe it.

Answer 5

Endogenous Viral Element

DNA sequence derived from a virus in the germline of a non-viral organism. Can become fixed in the genome.

Question 6

Name some endogenous viruses in vertebrates.

Answer 6

Parvoviruses
Filoviruses
Bornaviruses
Circoviruses
Herpesviruses

Question 7

What do some ERV loci express?

Answer 7

mRNA
viral proteins
viral particles

Question 8

What is the most recently integrated and biologically active ERV in our genome?

Answer 8

ERVK aka HML2

Question 9

What proteins does ERVK code for?

Answer 9

Gag, Pr, Pol, Env

Question 10

How do endogenous retroviruses infect cells?

Answer 10

Reinfection
Retrotransposon
Complement in trans

Question 11

What book changed Dr. D’s life?

Answer 11

Darwin’s Radio by Greg Bear

Question 12

What diseases can ERVK play a part in?

Answer 12

MS, Schizophrenia, autoimmune disease, HIV and herpes, Cancers inc melanoma, breast, lymphoma, leukemia, prostate, and ovarian

Question 13

Why do we need ERVs?

Answer 13

Syncytiotrophoblast creation in the placenta

Question 14

Discuss ERVs in real time.

Answer 14

Koala ERV aka KoRV is the only real disease threatening koala’s besides chlamydia
Causes leukemia, lymphoma, currently endogenating as babies born with KoRV. Making Koala’s more susceptible to chlamydia.
50/62 Koala’s at japanese zoos have infection
Discovered in 2000
may have been exogenous from Asian rodents
Similar to Gibbon RV