The Gene of Retroviral Origin Syncytin 1 is Specific to Hominoids and is Inactive in Old World Monkeys

Authors: Cáceres, Mario; NISC Comparative Sequencing Program,; Thomas, James W.

Source: Journal of Heredity, Volume 97, Number 2, 15 March 2006 , pp. 100-106(7)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Key:

- Free Content

- New Content

- Subscribed Content

- Free Trial Content

Abstract:

Syncytin 1 is one of the best known examples of recent acquisition of a new gene from an endogenous retrovirus (HERV) in the human genome and has been implicated in placental physiology. Within primates, Syncytin 1 is conserved in all hominoids but has not been characterized in Old World monkeys (OWMs). In this study, we investigated the status of Syncytin 1 in 14 hominoid and OWM species. We show that although the HERV-W provirus responsible for the origin of this gene was present in the genome of the most recent common ancestor of hominoids and OWMs, Syncytin 1 is inactive in OWMs. In addition, we were able to determine that the evolution of Syncytin 1 in hominoids involved an accumulation of amino acid changes and showed signatures of both positive and purifying selection. Our results indicate that Syncytin 1 is indeed a hominoid-specific gene and illustrate the complex and dynamic process associated with the origin of new genes.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Atherosclerosis; Coronary calcium; Ischaemia; Prognosis

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esj011

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$34.96 plus tax Refund Policy