Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle
Viviparity is made possible by the placenta, a structure acquired relatively recently in the evolutionary history of eutherian mammals. Compared to oviparity, it increases the survival rate of the fetus, owing to the eutherian placenta. Questions such as “How was the placenta acquired?” and “Why is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Biomolecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/12/1680 |
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| author | Toshihiro Sakurai Kazuya Kusama Kazuhiko Imakawa |
| author_facet | Toshihiro Sakurai Kazuya Kusama Kazuhiko Imakawa |
| author_sort | Toshihiro Sakurai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Viviparity is made possible by the placenta, a structure acquired relatively recently in the evolutionary history of eutherian mammals. Compared to oviparity, it increases the survival rate of the fetus, owing to the eutherian placenta. Questions such as “How was the placenta acquired?” and “Why is there diversity in placental morphology among mammalian species?” remain largely unsolved. Our present understanding of the molecules regulating placental development remains unclear, owing in no small part to the persistent obscurity surrounding the molecular mechanisms underlying placental acquisition. Numerous genes associated with the development of eutherian placental morphology likely evolved to function at the fetal–maternal interface in conjunction with those participating in embryogenesis. Therefore, identifying these genes, how they were acquired, and how they came to be expressed specifically at the fetal–maternal interface will shed light on some crucial molecular mechanisms underlying placental evolution. Exhaustive studies support the hypothesis that endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) could be evolutional driving forces for trophoblast cell fusion and placental structure in mammalian placentas including those of the bovine species. This review focuses on bovine ERVs (BERVs) and their expression and function in the placenta. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:58:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bca7cd878c404ba89e0b8da1a3339b56 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:58:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-bca7cd878c404ba89e0b8da1a3339b562023-12-22T13:55:44ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2023-11-011312168010.3390/biom13121680Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in CattleToshihiro Sakurai0Kazuya Kusama1Kazuhiko Imakawa2School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ohu University, 31-1 Misumido, Koriyama 963-8611, Fukushima, JapanDepartment of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji 192-0392, Tokyo, JapanResearch Institute of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-Ku, Kumamoto 862-8652, JapanViviparity is made possible by the placenta, a structure acquired relatively recently in the evolutionary history of eutherian mammals. Compared to oviparity, it increases the survival rate of the fetus, owing to the eutherian placenta. Questions such as “How was the placenta acquired?” and “Why is there diversity in placental morphology among mammalian species?” remain largely unsolved. Our present understanding of the molecules regulating placental development remains unclear, owing in no small part to the persistent obscurity surrounding the molecular mechanisms underlying placental acquisition. Numerous genes associated with the development of eutherian placental morphology likely evolved to function at the fetal–maternal interface in conjunction with those participating in embryogenesis. Therefore, identifying these genes, how they were acquired, and how they came to be expressed specifically at the fetal–maternal interface will shed light on some crucial molecular mechanisms underlying placental evolution. Exhaustive studies support the hypothesis that endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) could be evolutional driving forces for trophoblast cell fusion and placental structure in mammalian placentas including those of the bovine species. This review focuses on bovine ERVs (BERVs) and their expression and function in the placenta.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/12/1680cattleplacenta morphologyERVs (endogenous retroviruses) |
| spellingShingle | Toshihiro Sakurai Kazuya Kusama Kazuhiko Imakawa Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle Biomolecules cattle placenta morphology ERVs (endogenous retroviruses) |
| title | Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle |
| title_full | Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle |
| title_fullStr | Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle |
| title_short | Progressive Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Placental Evolution in Cattle |
| title_sort | progressive exaptation of endogenous retroviruses in placental evolution in cattle |
| topic | cattle placenta morphology ERVs (endogenous retroviruses) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/12/1680 |
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