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Mol. Cells 2010; 30(4): 319-325

Published online August 27, 2010

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-010-0121-0

© The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology

Analysis of the Molecular and Regulatory Properties of Active Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus Gamma-1 Long Terminal Repeats in Kidney Tissues of the NIH-Miniature Pig

Sang-Je Park1,2, Jae-Won Huh2, Dae-Soo Kim2, Hong-Seok Ha1, Yi-Deun Jung1, Kung Ahn1, Keon Bong Oh3, Eung-Woo Park3, Kyu-Tae Chang2, and Heui-Soo Kim1,*

1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea, 2National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Ochang 363-883, Korea, 3Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441-706, Korea

Correspondence to : *Correspondence: khs307@pusan.ac.kr

Received: March 2, 2010; Revised: June 10, 2010; Accepted: June 28, 2010

Abstract

The pig genome contains the gamma1 family of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs), which are major ob-stacle to the development of successful xenotransplantation from pig to human. Long terminal repeats (LTRs) found in PERVs are known to be essential elements for the control of the transcriptional activity of single virus by different transcription factors (TFs). To identify transcribed PERV LTR elements, RT-PCR and DNA sequencing analyses were performed. Twenty-nine actively transcribed LTR elements were identified in the kidney tissues of the NIH-Miniature pig. These elements were divided into two major groups (I and II), and four minor groups (I-1, I-2, I-3, and II-1), by the presence of insertion and deletion (INDEL) sequences. Group I elements showed strong transcriptional activity compared to group II elements. Four different LTR elements (PL1, PL2, PL3, and PL4) as representative of the groups were analyzed by using a transient transfection assay. The regulation of their promoter activity was investigated by treatment with M.SssI (CpG DNA methyltransferase) and garcinol (histone acetyltransferase inhibitor). The transcriptional activity of PERV LTR elements was significantly reduced by treatment with M.SssI. These data indicate that transcribed PERV LTR elements harbor sufficient promoter activity to regulate the transcription of a single virus, and the transcriptional activity of PERV LTRs may be controlled by DNA methylation events.

Keywords histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, long terminal repeats, methylation, porcine endogenous retroviruses, xenotransplantation

Article

Research Article

Mol. Cells 2010; 30(4): 319-325

Published online October 31, 2010 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-010-0121-0

Copyright © The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Analysis of the Molecular and Regulatory Properties of Active Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus Gamma-1 Long Terminal Repeats in Kidney Tissues of the NIH-Miniature Pig

Sang-Je Park1,2, Jae-Won Huh2, Dae-Soo Kim2, Hong-Seok Ha1, Yi-Deun Jung1, Kung Ahn1, Keon Bong Oh3, Eung-Woo Park3, Kyu-Tae Chang2, and Heui-Soo Kim1,*

1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea, 2National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Ochang 363-883, Korea, 3Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441-706, Korea

Correspondence to:*Correspondence: khs307@pusan.ac.kr

Received: March 2, 2010; Revised: June 10, 2010; Accepted: June 28, 2010

Abstract

The pig genome contains the gamma1 family of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs), which are major ob-stacle to the development of successful xenotransplantation from pig to human. Long terminal repeats (LTRs) found in PERVs are known to be essential elements for the control of the transcriptional activity of single virus by different transcription factors (TFs). To identify transcribed PERV LTR elements, RT-PCR and DNA sequencing analyses were performed. Twenty-nine actively transcribed LTR elements were identified in the kidney tissues of the NIH-Miniature pig. These elements were divided into two major groups (I and II), and four minor groups (I-1, I-2, I-3, and II-1), by the presence of insertion and deletion (INDEL) sequences. Group I elements showed strong transcriptional activity compared to group II elements. Four different LTR elements (PL1, PL2, PL3, and PL4) as representative of the groups were analyzed by using a transient transfection assay. The regulation of their promoter activity was investigated by treatment with M.SssI (CpG DNA methyltransferase) and garcinol (histone acetyltransferase inhibitor). The transcriptional activity of PERV LTR elements was significantly reduced by treatment with M.SssI. These data indicate that transcribed PERV LTR elements harbor sufficient promoter activity to regulate the transcription of a single virus, and the transcriptional activity of PERV LTRs may be controlled by DNA methylation events.

Keywords: histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, long terminal repeats, methylation, porcine endogenous retroviruses, xenotransplantation

Mol. Cells
May 31, 2023 Vol.46 No.5, pp. 259~328
COVER PICTURE
The alpha-helices in the lamin filaments are depicted as coils, with different subdomains distinguished by various colors. Coil 1a is represented by magenta, coil 1b by yellow, L2 by green, coil 2a by white, coil 2b by brown, stutter by cyan, coil 2c by dark blue, and the lamin Ig-like domain by grey. In the background, cells are displayed, with the cytosol depicted in green and the nucleus in blue (Ahn et al., pp. 309-318).

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