Characterization of a Full-Length Endogenous Beta-Retrovirus in Horses
Author Information
Author(s): van der Kuyl Antoinette C.
Primary Institution: Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam
Hypothesis
Information on endogenous retroviruses fixed in the horse genome is scarce.
Conclusion
The study identified a full-length beta-retrovirus named EqERV-beta1 integrated into the horse genome, suggesting a relatively recent integration event.
Supporting Evidence
- The provirus EqERV-beta1 is 10434 nucleotides long and has a typical retroviral genome structure.
- Phylogenetic analysis shows that EqERV-beta1 is closely related to a retroviral sequence from cattle.
- The study suggests that the integration of EqERV-beta1 occurred approximately 300,000 years ago.
Takeaway
Scientists found a virus in horse DNA that has been there for a long time, showing that horses can carry viruses just like other animals.
Methodology
The study used BLAST and BLAT searches on the horse genome to identify viral sequences and performed phylogenetic analysis.
Limitations
The draft horse genome sequence has stretches of ambiguous nucleotides that complicate the analysis.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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