Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Scientific Correspondence
  • Published:

Endogenous proviruses as “mementos”?

Nature volume 388, page 840 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

In a recent News and Views1, J. P. Stoye discussed the potential health risks associated with the spread of endogenous proviruses from pigs and primates through the use of their organs for transplantation into humans. Although the risks to patients and the public from horizontal transmission may be as manageable as he represents, we would like to comment on his reference to the presence of vertically transmitted proviruses in the genomes of all mammals as “mementos”.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Stoye, J. P. Nature 386, 126–127 (1997).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kidwell, M. G., Kimura, K. & Black, D. M. Genetics 86, 815–828 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Engels, W. R. Genetics 145, 11–15 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Best, S., Le Tissier, P., Towers, G. & Stoye, J. P. Nature 382, 826–829 (1996).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pelisson, A.et al. EMBO J. 13, 4401–4411 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Panthier, J. J., Condamine, H. & Jacob, F. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 1156–1160 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rowe, W. P. & Kozak, C. A. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 77, 4871–4874 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jenkins, N. A. & Copeland, N. G. Cell 43, 811–819 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lock, L. F., Jenkins, N. A. & Copeland, N. G. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 171, 27–41 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lock, L. F.et al. EMBO J. 7, 4169–4177 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, 95616, California, USA

    Charles H. Langley

  2. Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, Edinburgh, UK

    Brian Charlesworth

Authors
  1. Charles H. Langley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brian Charlesworth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Langley, C., Charlesworth, B. Endogenous proviruses as “mementos”?. Nature 388, 840 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/42170

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/42170

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing