IDENTIFICATION OF A HUMAN ENDOGENOUS LTR-LIKE SEQUENCE USING HIV-1 LTR SPECIFIC PRIMERS

Using 'consensus' primers derived from the LTR region of 15 HIV-1 isol ates, a fragment of 583 bp was amplified from human DNA. Even though s pecificity was confirmed by Southern blot analysis with a conserved LT R oligonucleotide probe, no significant homologies were detected to ei ther retroviral regions or human or non-human published sequences. Nev ertheless, when used as a probe, the 583-bp fragment identified a uniq ue DNA sequence in the human genome on chromosome 1, and cross-reactiv e sequences in monkey, but not mouse, DNA. This novel, unique and cons erved sequence of 583 bp was used to isolate a human HS-1 clone in whi ch the structural property of a viral LTR could be identified. (C) 199 6 Academic Press Limited