Screening of domesticated genes from human endogenous retroviruses.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14422
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Genome biology
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: KANEKO-ISHINO Tomoko (金児知子) 東海大学, 健康科学部, 教授 (20221757)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHINO Fumitoshi 東京医科歯科大学, 難治疾患研究所, 教授 (60159754) ; RI Jiyon 東京医科歯科大学, 難治疾患研究所, 講師 (20402860)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: レトロウイルス / レトロトランスポゾン / 獲得遺伝子 / GAGタンパク質 / 脳

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Approximately 8% of the human genome consists of LTR retrotransposons and endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). Most are inactivated by heavy mutations and do not function as the retrotransposons nor retoroviruses. However, substantial numbers of short open reading frames (ORFs) from their encoding proteins, such as Gag, Pol and Env, remain and exhibit high conservation among humans, chimpanzees and gorillas. Therefore, we hypothesize that some of such ORFs play some function in these species as Hominidae-specific genes. We screened such putative HERV-derived genes from human genome and made specific antibodies to some candidates. We have been trying to confirm their protein expression in a HEK293 cell line, cerebrum, cerebellum and thalamus.

Free Research Field

分子生物学