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Oncogenes in retroviruses and cells

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Abstract

Oncogenes are genes that cause cancer. Retroviruses contain oncogenes and cause cancer in animals and, perhaps, in man. The viruses have appropriated their oncogenes fromnormal cellular DNA by genetic recombination. Correspondingly, uninfected vertebrate cells contain a family of evolutionary conserved cellular oncogenes. Retrovirus infection, introducing additional viral oncogenes into the cells, as well as carcinogen-mediated activation of cellular oncogenes may both lead to increased synthesis of oncogene encoded transforming proteins which convert normal cells to tumor cells. Unique retroviruses of human origin have recently been identified. They may, on occasion, directly cause tumors in man. However, the general significance of retroviruses may better be illustrated by their remarkable genetic composition which allows them to promote tumor growth by a variety of genetic mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, D-6000, Frankfurt

    Reinhard Kurth

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I would like to thank Drs. H.-D. Brede, R.R. Friis, J. Löwer and H. Rübsamen for stimulating discussions and critical reading of the manuscript. Thanks are also due to M. Wenzel and H. Bartel for photographical and art work and S. Simmchen for typing of the manuscript. Work performed in the laboratory of the author has been supported in part by grant Wa 139/10 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by a special grant from the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.

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Kurth, R. Oncogenes in retroviruses and cells. Naturwissenschaften 70, 439–450 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01079610

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