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Endogenous retroviruses control human placental gene expression

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Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), a type of transposable element (TE), have been incorporated throughout evolution into the human genome. We show that many ERVs regulate placental gene expression, which may have helped fuel the rapid evolution of the placenta and could have implications for pregnancy complications.

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Fig. 1: Placental and ERV evolution in primates.

References

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This is a summary of: Frost, J. M. et al. Regulation of human trophoblast gene expression by endogenous retroviruses. Nat. Struct. Mol. Cell Bio. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-023-00960-6 (2023).

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Endogenous retroviruses control human placental gene expression. Nat Struct Mol Biol 30, 415–416 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-023-00965-1

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