The coevolution between APOBEC3 and retrotransposons in primates

Retrotransposons are genetic elements with the ability to replicate in the genome using reverse transcriptase: they have been associated with the development of different biological structures, such as the Central Nervous System (CNS), and their high mutagenic potential has been linked to various di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mobile DNA 2022-11, Vol.13 (1), p.1-11, Article 27
Main Authors: Modenini, Giorgia, Abondio, Paolo, Boattini, Alessio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
APOBEC3
Brain diseases
DNA polymerases
Embryonic development
Evolution
Evolutionary arms race
Evolutionary biology
Gene expression
Genomes
Genomics
Health aspects
Homo
Monkeys & apes
Nervous system diseases
Primates
Proteins
Radiation
Retrotransposons
Review
Transposons
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Summary:Retrotransposons are genetic elements with the ability to replicate in the genome using reverse transcriptase: they have been associated with the development of different biological structures, such as the Central Nervous System (CNS), and their high mutagenic potential has been linked to various diseases, including cancer and neurological disorders. Throughout evolution and over time, Primates and Homo had to cope with infections from viruses and bacteria, and also with endogenous retroelements. Therefore, host genomes have evolved numerous methods to counteract the activity of endogenous and exogenous pathogens, and the APOBEC3 family of mutators is a prime example of a defensive mechanism in this context. In most Primates, there are seven members of the APOBEC3 family of deaminase proteins: among their functions, there is the ability to inhibit the mobilization of retrotransposons and the functionality of viruses. The evolution of the APOBEC3 proteins found in Primates is correlated with the expansion of two major families of retrotransposons, i.e. ERV and LINE-1. In this review, we will discuss how the rapid expansion of the APOBEC3 family is linked to the evolution of retrotransposons, highlighting the strong evolutionary arms race that characterized the history of APOBEC3s and endogenous retroelements in Primates. Moreover, the possible role of this relationship will be assessed in the context of embryonic development and brain-associated diseases.
ISSN:1759-8753
1759-8753
DOI:10.1186/s13100-022-00283-1