Evolution of antiviral host defenses against a backdrop of endogenous retroelements

• 成果类型: Review
• 署名作者: Kassiotis, George; Stoye, Jonathan P.
• 署名单位: Francis Crick Institute; Imperial College London
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-11741
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adx4379
• 发表日期: 2025-08-07
• 页码: 588-593
• 关键词: co-option; expression; immunity; protein; retroviruses; mechanisms; self

摘要

Mammalian hosts deploy a multitude of germ line-encoded mechanisms to detect and restrict virus infection. These mechanisms must avoid pathological responses to endogenous retroviruses and other endogenous retrotransposable elements (RTEs)-viruses and viruslike genomic parasites that have invaded the host germ line and are passed down the generations as host genes. Although the location, specificity, and sensitivity of innate pattern recognition receptors and restriction factors are tuned to facilitate discrimination of infecting viruses from those that are part of self, immune cross-reactions do occur. The RTE viral heritage may, therefore, compromise the ability of the host to respond to virus infection without risking pathology. Nevertheless, RTEs have the potential to be co-opted as an alarm amplification system, to be repurposed as antiviral factors, and to contribute to the evolution of antiviral genes.