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Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences: CMLS logoLink to Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences: CMLS
. 2008 Sep 27;65(21):3329–3347. doi: 10.1007/s00018-008-8494-3

Endogenous retroviruses

Keeping active endogenous retroviral-like elements in check: the epigenetic perspective

I A Maksakova 1,2, D L Mager 1,2,, D Reiss 1,2
PMCID: PMC11131743  PMID: 18818875

Abstract.

Endogenous retrovirus-like elements, or ERVs, are an abundant component of all eukaryotic genomes. Their transcriptional and retrotranspositional activities have great potential for deleterious effects on gene expression. Consequences of such activity may include germline mutagenesis and cancerous transformation. As a result, mammalian genomes have evolved means of counteracting ERV transcription and mobilization. In this review, we discuss epigenetic mechanisms of ERV and LTR retrotransposon control during mouse development, focusing on involvement of DNA methylation, histone modifications, small RNAs and their interaction with one another. We also address relevance of research performed in the mouse system to human and challenges associated with studying repetitive families. (Part of a Multi-author Review)

Keywords. LTR retrotransposon, epigenetics, DNA methylation, chromatin, mouse development, retroviral silencing, RNAi


Articles from Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences: CMLS are provided here courtesy of Springer

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