Open AccessEnvelope Gene of the Human Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-W Encodes a Functional Retrovirus Envelope
Author(s) -
Dong Sung An,
Yiming Xie,
Irvin S. Y. Chen
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.75.7.3488-3489.2001
Subject(s) - retrovirus , biology , glycoprotein , endogenous retrovirus , viral envelope , virology , tropism , gene , gammaretrovirus , group specific antigen , membrane glycoproteins , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , virus , genome
A member of the human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) family termed HERV-W encodes a highly fusogenic membrane glycoprotein that appears to be expressed specifically in the placenta. It is unclear whether the glycoproteins of the HERVs can serve as functional retrovirus envelope proteins to confer infectivity on retrovirus particles. We found that the HERV-W envelope glycoprotein can form pseudotypes with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 virions and confers tropism for CD4-negative cells. Thus, the HERV-W env gene represents the first HERV env gene demonstrated to encode the functional properties of a retrovirus envelope glycoprotein.