GENETICS OF INTRACISTERNAL-A-PARTICLE-RELATED ENVELOPE-ENCODING PROVIRAL ELEMENTS IN MICE

Intracisternal-A-particle-related envelope-encoding (IAPE) proviral el ements in the mouse genome encode and express an envelope-like protein that may allow transmission of IAPEs as infectious agents. To test IA PE mobility and potential transmission in mice, we have analyzed the d istribution of IAPE elements in the genomes of Mus spretus and Mus mus culus inbred strains and wild-caught animals. Potential full-length (I APE-A) proviral elements are present as repetitive copies in DNA from male but not female animals of M. musculus inbred strains and Mus musc ulus castaneus. Analysis of IAPE-cellular junction fragments indicates that fixation of most IAPEs in the germ line occurred in M. musculus and M. spretus after speciation but before M. musculus inbred strains were derived.