SORRY FOR THE EARLIER MIS-POST, pressed a wrong key, methinks...
Sean David Moore writes:
>> Be warned, there is still some question as to the validity of the
> conclusions in that paper. There are only theories as to the meaning of
> the "new" virus found in KS. It would be very strange for this gamma-HSV
> to be sex specific,
and why not?! All you need is a glucocorticoid response element controlling
an essential/pathogenic gene of the hypothetical virus, and voila, you have
pathogenecity and survivability of the virus controlled by a sex-specific
glucocorticoid signal. I believe there is a precedent for this in HepBV.
Also mouse-mammary tumour virus Long-Terminal-Repeats (MMTV-LTR) contain a
GRE. (I think that's where they were first characterised!)
Glucocorticoid response elements are pseudo-palindromic gene regulators that
act as binding sites for glucocorticoid receptors, and there are minor
differences between them conferring specificity to a particular
glucocorticoid receptor (eg. few base pairs different between Progesterone
Response element and (O)esterone respone element)
> let alone region specific within the host. There have been
> other HSV's discovered that should be investigated for similar traits..ie
> HSV 6 or 7.
^^^^^
Please, Human Herpes Virus (HHV) not Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)
Now I'm nitpicking. Sorry.
Naveed Panjwani
University of London
