Examination of syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 in simian genera

Syncytins are proteins expressed in the placenta with a fusogenic and immunosuppressive effect. The Syncytin protein is coded by the syncytin gene, which is the envelope (env) of an endogenous retrovirus (ERV). Syncytins have been gained and lost over time. Two syncytin genes are present in simians, syncytin-1 and syncytin-2. Of these, syncytin-1 is present in Old World monkeys (OWM) and apes (including the human lineage). By contrast, syncytin-2 is present in New World monkeys (NWM), OWMs, and apes. The open reading frame (ORF) for syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 is disrupted in some simian genera, leading to a truncated protein with a loss of function. An initial loss of syncytin-1 occurred in the ancestor of OWMs. The ORF of syncytin-1 was disrupted due to a one-nucleotide insertion, leading to a TAA stop codon in the reading frame. Multiple independent loss events occurred in the NWM species Pithecia pithecia, Saguinus imperator, and Ateles hybridus. In Pithecia pithecia, a transition SNP substituting cytosine to thymine led to the premature stop codon. In Saguinus imperator, a one-nucleotide insertion shifted the reading frame, causing a premature stop codon to be in the reading frame. In Ateles hybridus, a two-nucleotide insertion and a one-nucleotide deletion shifted the reading frame, causing a premature stop codon to be in the reading frame. I conclude that the loss of syncytin-2 is due to independent loss events because syncytin-2 maintains a full-length ORF in species closely related to Pithecia pithecia, Saguinus imperator, and Ateles hybridus.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Bioinformatics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Alhazmy, Raghid Fawzi A

Contributors dc:contributor

• Roca, Alfred
• Torvik, Vetle

• Endogenous Retrovirus
• Simian
• Open Reading Frame
• Genome
• Gene
• Apes
• Old World Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• Retroviruses
• Syncytin

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Raghid Alhazmy

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120170

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120170