From biomarkers to intervention: Translational potential of endogenous retrovirus‐derived chimeric RNAs

Ziyi Ouyang, Hongqing Liang, Dan Zhang · 2026

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Description

Ancient viruses buried in human DNA can wake up in the first days of an embryo's life, and some of their products turn out to matter. Ziyi Ouyang, Hongqing Liang, and Dan Zhang review that story in a 2026 article. The focus falls on chimeric RNAs, hybrid messages stitched from a viral remnant called MLT2A1 and the gene text that follows it.

These hybrid messages help the embryo switch on its own genome, the step that moves control from the mother's stored messages to the embryo's own program. When that switch fails, IVF embryos can stall for reasons doctors cannot see from shape alone. The authors argue the RNAs could serve as markers of a healthy switch, and perhaps as levers to rescue stalled embryos. They map the path from such markers toward tests and treatments in fertility care.

Catalog record

CREATORZiyi Ouyang, Hongqing Liang, Dan Zhang
YEAR2026
COLLECTIONPAPERS
FORMATTXT
FILE SIZE9 KB
VERSION1.0
LICENSECC BY 4.0
RIGHTSCC BY
SOURCEEurope PMC

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13579372

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