Biopolymers and cell. 1988. Volume 4. № 2. 107 - 110

Borchsenius S. N., Rakovskaya I. V., Chernova O. A., Merkulova N. A.

MYCOPLASMA DNAs CONTAIN FRAGMENTS HOMOLOGOUS TO LONG TERMINAL REPEATS OF RAUSCHER LEUKEMIA VIRUS

Summary

    Mycoplasmas activate persistent and oncogenous viruses. The mycoplasma-virus-mammalian cell system is of interest to clarify the possible interaction of these organisms on the genome level. It is found that DNA EcoRV-iragmenis containing rRNA genes of mycoplasmas (A. laidlawii, M. arthritidls, M. gallisepticum, M. mycoides subsp. capri) are homologous to long terminal repeats of Rauscher leukemia virus (LTR RLV). The same £co/?V-fragments of A. laidlawii are homologous to sites of eukaryotic topoisomerase I (Top I). It is conceivable that LTR RLV contain Top I sites and the observed effect is a consequence of these sites homology. The revealed homology of LTR RLV with DNAs of mycoplasmas is a promise for genome exchange between viruses and mycoplasmas.