Disease relevance of bel

• Analysis of the role of the bel and bet open reading frames of human foamy virus by using a new quantitative assay [1].
• The HFV provirus contains two different and functionally active promoters: the classical retroviral promoter in the 5' long terminal repeat and a recently identified second promoter in the env gene upstream of the bel genes [2].
• Foamy viruses (FV) are complex retroviruses with additional bel genes located between env and the 3' long-terminal repeat [3].
• The defect in RNA, protein, and virion synthesis was trans-complemented by cotransfection of an expression clone harboring the complete bel coding region [4].

High impact information on bel

• Our studies with transgenic mice demonstrate that HFV transgenes encompassing the bel region are transiently transcribed between midgestation and birth at moderate levels in various tissues [5].
• We have analysed whether there is interference between the HFV long terminal repeat promoter and the internal promoter located in the 3' end of env upstream of the bel genes [6].
• The helper and vector plasmid constructs used both lack the HFV bel genes, so recombination between these constructs cannot create a wild-type virus [7].
• An HFV transgene called delta gpe, containing both promoters and all bel genes, is expressed in the central nervous system and induces neurodegeneration in mice [8].
• The human foamy or spumaretrovirus (HFV) is a complex retrovirus that codes for the three retroviral genes gag, pol, and env and the regulatory and accessory bel genes [9].

References