Human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) envelope structures in pre- and postfusion by cryo-EM Structural snapshots and antibodies illuminate a viral protein within the dark matter of the genome that may be active in disease.

HERVs are remnants of ancient infections that comprise ~8% of the human genome. The HERV-K envelope glycoprotein (Env) is aberrantly expressed in cancers, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, and is targeted by patients’ own antibodies.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

#retroviruses

Why are people losing emotional control?

Genome-wide DNA methylation in #COVID-19 is linked to neurological dysfunction:

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Mechanism: #post-COVID systemic hypomethylation disrupts normal silencing marks, reactivating dormant endogenous #retroviruses.

#medsky

Hidesaburo Hanafusa, born #OTD, won a #LaskerAward for discovering the mechanism by which #retroviruses cause malignant tumors. ow.ly/ZZ6V50CtsIF
@rockefeller.edu 🧪

We are now listening to Jakub Kanka from @czechacademy.bsky.social who is telling us about #HIV-1 and the search for silenced #retroviruses #EMBLPhDSymposium2025 @phdsymposium.bsky.social

Fun Fact Friday:

About 8 percent of the human genome comes from ancient viruses that infected our ancestors. These viral fossils became part of our DNA and have stayed there for millions of years.

#FunFact #Genomics #HumanEvolution #DoOnlyGoodEveryday #Virology #Retroviruses

Last week, @ako98.bsky.social gave her first poster presentation at the #Retropath meeting in Tübingen, where I also presented the excellent work of João Côrte-Real. @agschindler.bsky.social and @sauterlab.bsky.social did a fantastic job organizing the meeting.

#ProudPI #Retroviruses

Very happy to have participated to the #RETROPATH2025 meeting in Tubingen: I had the pleasure to chair the last but great session yesterday! a lot of insights on #retroviruses in particular endoretroviruses! Thank you Michael Schindler and Daniel Sauter for the awsome programme!

👇👇

Among the articles

"Editorial
Human endogenous #retroviruses: The iceberg view

Patrick Küry, Patrice N. Marche
July–August 2025
Article 105530"

Scenic view of Tübingen, Germany: a traditional wooden punt boat with passengers glides along the Neckar River. A punter stands at the rear with a pole. On the riverbank are historic houses with a tower, lush green trees, and flowering plants in the foreground. Picture by Barbara Honner © Verkehrsverein Tübingen

📢 Countdown: 1 month until #Retropath2025!
Registration is still open — join us in Tübingen for outstanding keynote lectures + cutting-edge research on #retroviruses and #HERVs. More info 👉 evis.events/event/469/.

Abstract Guidelines and Submission

Bis zur nächsten #CROI - der Conference of #Retroviruses and #Opportunistic #Infections der @iasociety.bsky.social - ist es zwar noch ein bisschen hin - aber #Abstracts für können ab sofort und bis zum 1. Oktober schon eingereicht werden:

www.croiconference.org/abstract-gui...

Promotional banner for RetroPATH 2025, the 34th International Workshop on Retroviral Pathogenesis. The image features colorful historic buildings of Tübingen along the Neckar River at night.

The abstract deadline for #RetroPATH2025 is approaching! Submit by Aug 15 to join the international retrovirology community in Tübingen, Oct 6–9. Details & submission: evis.events/event/469/
#Retroviruses #HERVs

Promotional banner for RetroPATH 2025, the 34th International Workshop on Retroviral Pathogenesis. The image features colorful historic buildings of Tübingen along the Neckar River at night.

The abstract deadline for #RetroPATH2025 is approaching! Submit by Aug 15 to join the international retrovirology community in Tübingen, Oct 6–9. We are excited to be co-organizing this event and hope to see many of you there!
Details & submission: evis.events/event/469/
#Retroviruses #HERVs

The picture shows the Flyer of the Workshop. It is branded in the colors of the Workshop: Darkblue background and orange accents. The lower half shows a picture of Tübingen at night. You can see a row of historic houses in the city centre. Above all mounts the church with it bright red roof and its tower.

🐣 Early bird reminder!

The deadline for early bird registration for the #RetroPATH2025 organized by Michael Schindler and Daniel Sauter is almost there.

🔗 Register here to take advantage of your final opportunity to save €100: evis.events/e/RetroPATH2025

#RetroPATH #Retroviruses #HERV

'Loop'hole: HIV-1 hijacks human immune cells using circular RNAs Researchers have identified a never-before-seen mechanism that enables HIV-1 to evade the body's natural defenses and use it to support its survival and replication. The 'loophole' is a biological pro...

"Results of the study, published in the journal npj Viruses, marks the first experimental evidence of HIV-1 generating #circRNAs produced from an integrated retroviral genome, offering a new perspective on HIV biology."

#aging #cancer #retroviruses #viruses

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...

Really great talk by @melghazaly.bsky.social from @towerslab.bsky.social in #CSH #Retroviruses !

It was a huge honour to speak today in the beautiful locale of Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, NY. At an epic post entry events session on the 50th anniversary of #CSH #Retroviruses

🚨 Calling all retrovirologists Join us for RetroPATH 2025, one of the worldwide leading meetings in retrovirus research! Abstract submission and registration is open.
📍Tübingen, Germany | 📅 October 6–9, 2025
Register now! https://evis.events/event/469/
#RetroPATH #Retroviruses #HERV

🚨 Calling all retrovirologists 🚨
Join us for RetroPATH 2025, one of the worldwide leading meetings in retrovirus research!

📍Tübingen, Germany | 📅 October 6–9, 2025

📝 Register now! evis.events/event/469/

#RetroPATH #Retroviruses #HERV

Hello San Francisco!

#CROI2025 swag bag

Going anti-Viral at #CROI2025 #retroviruses #HIVresearch #infectiousdiseases #science #phd #phdresearch #scientist #Al #informatics #stem #Healthcare #HIV #AIDSresearch #publichealth #AIDS #SanFrancisco #clinicaltrials #researchers #CROI

Excited to give a talk on human endogenous retroviruses at the Cryo-EM Subgroup Symposium today at #BPS2025! Please come check out my poster B99 on Sunday afternoon—looking forward for great discussions!

#Biophysics #CryoEM #Retroviruses #StructuralBiology#HERV

We are still at the #cancer #genomics session! We are now listening to @dbm003.bsky.social @fredhutch.bsky.social talk about the diverse roles of human endogenous #retroviruses in cancer @liigh-unam.bsky.social #LIIGH10anniversary

🧬 New insights into retroviral integration!
Discover how mitotic chromatin dynamics and PFV Gag mutations redefine viral integration sites, infectivity, and gene therapy potential.
✍️ Floriane Lagadec, Parmit K Singh, Paul Lesbats and coll.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #Virology #Retroviruses

🇬🇧 #infectnetIV Recap: Ina Maja Vorberg from #DZNE about the connections between #ageing, #Alzheimer's, #prions and viral #infections in the #brain. The activation of human endogenous #retroviruses plays an important role. #HERV #Tau #neurodegenration 🧠💜

Crosstalk between human endogenous retroviruses and exogenous viruses Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are remnants of ancient retroviral infections of human germ-line cells, which are mostly silenced during evoluti…

Crosstalk between human #endogenous #retroviruses and #exogenous viruses.

Via Claudia Matteucci (sharing on X) the result of the collaborative work with @brankahorvat88, within the @hervcov funded by @HorizonEU
@emanuelabalest5
@EdoardoPizzioli
@magiorkinis
@AntonellaMinut8

Ancient retroviruses played a key role in the evolution of vertebrate brains, suggest researchers Researchers report in the journal Cell that ancient viruses may be to thank for myelin—and, by extension, our large, complex brains.

Ancient #retroviruses played a key role in the #evolution of vertebrate #brains, suggest researchers

phys.org/news/2024-02... #Myelin

Retroviruses 'almost half a billion years old' Retroviruses -- the family of viruses that includes HIV -- are almost half a billion years old, according to new research. That's several hundred million years older than previously thought and suggests retroviruses have ancient marine origins, having been with their animal hosts through the evolutionary transition from sea to land. The findings will help us understand more about the continuing 'arms race' between viruses and their hosts.

Infection Control - #Retroviruses are almost half a BILLION years old, research shows:#HIV

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/…