Retroviral integration provides us with a powerful tool to realize prolonged gene expressions that are often critical to gene therapy. However, the perturbation of gene regulations in host cells by viral genome integration can lead to detrimental effects, yielding cancer. The oncogenic potential of retroviruses is linked to the preference of retroviruses to integrate into genomic regions that are enriched in gene regulatory elements. To better navigate the double-edged sword of retroviral integration we need to understand how retroviruses select their favored genomic loci during infections. In this study we showed that in addition to host proteins that tether retroviral pre-integration complexes to specific genomic regions, the epigenetic architecture of host genome might strongly affect retroviral integration patterns. Specifically, retroviruses showed their characteristic integration preference in differentiated somatic cells. In contrast, retroviral infections of hES cells, which are known to display decondensed chromatin, produced random-like integration patterns lacking of strong preference for regulatory-element-rich genomic regions. Better identification of the cellular and viral factors that determine retroviral integration patterns will facilitate the design of retroviral vectors for safer use in gene therapy.
한국생물공학회 [The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering]
설립연도
1984
분야
공학>생물공학
소개
이 법인은 생물 공학의 발전과 보급에 이바지하고, 회원 상호 간의 연구 협력과 친목을 도모함을 목적으로 한다
1. 생물공학 분야의 발전을 위한 연구 협력
2. 생물공학의 실용화를 촉진시키기 위한 산학 협동
3. 학술연구 발표회, 강연회, 연수회 등 학술활동의 개최
4. 국,영문 학술지,소식지,학술회의 Proceedings 및 학술도서의 발간
5. 생물공학 발전을 위한 정책 건의
6. 기타 국제 교류 등 본 학회의 목적 달성을 위한 제반 활동