To elucidate principles operating in native biological systems and to develop novel
biotechnologies, synthetic biology aims to build and integrate synthetic gene circuits within …

The character of a cell is defined by its constituent proteins, which are the result of specific
patterns of gene expression. Crucial determinants of gene expression patterns are DNA …

Abstract Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), retrovirus-like elements with long terminal
repeats, are widely dispersed in the euchromatic compartment in mammalian cells …

Stem cells represent natural units of embryonic development and tissue regeneration.
Embryonic stem (ES) cells, in particular, possess a nearly unlimited self-renewal capacity …

Because of the heterogeneity of chromatin, the site of integration of human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the genome could have dramatic effects on its …

Methylation of cytosines within the CpG dinucleotide by DNA methyltransferases is involved
in regulating transcription and chromatin structure, controlling the spread of parasitic …

DNA methylation of retroviral promoters and enhancers localized in the provirus 5′ long
terminal repeat (LTR) is considered to be a mechanism of transcriptional suppression that …

Ever since the discovery of DNA methylation at cytosine residues, the role of this so called
fifth base has been extensively studied and debated. Until recently, the majority of DNA …

Close to half of the human genome encompasses mobile genetic elements, most of which
are retrotransposons. These genetic invaders are formidable evolutionary forces that have …

Retrovirus vectors integrate into the genome, providing stable gene transfer, but integration
contributes in part to transcriptional silencing that compromises long-term expression. In the …