Guanine-adenine bias: a general property of retroid viruses that is unrelated to host-induced hypermutation

Trends Genet. 2005 May;21(5):264-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2005.03.004.

Abstract

The recently discovered mammalian enzymes, APOBEC3G and 3F, induce guanine-to-adenine hypermutation in retroviruses. However, the preference of adenine over guanine in retroviral codon usage is not correlated with the presence or absence of APOBEC3G or its viral inhibitor (Vif), and its pattern does not reflect the biochemical properties of APOBEC3G action. The guanine-adenine bias of retroviruses is thus probably not a result of host-induced mutational pressure, but rather reflects a general predisposition associated with reverse transcription.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • Adenine / physiology*
  • Codon / genetics
  • Cytidine Deaminase
  • Cytosine Deaminase / genetics
  • Genes, vif / genetics
  • Guanine / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Mutagenesis / genetics*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nucleoside Deaminases
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Retroviridae / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Codon
  • Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Guanine
  • Nucleoside Deaminases
  • APOBEC3F protein, human
  • Cytosine Deaminase
  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • APOBEC3G protein, human
  • Cytidine Deaminase
  • Adenine