ERVFRD-1 - Endogenous Retrovirus Group FRD Member 1, Envelope

Many different human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) families are expressed in normal placental tissue at high levels, suggesting that HERVs are functionally important in reproduction. This gene is part of a human endogenous retrovirus provirus on chromosome 6 that has inactivating mutations in the gag and pol genes. This gene is the envelope glycoprotein gene which appears to have been selectively preserved. The gene's protein product plays a major role in placental development and trophoblast fusion. The protein has the characteristics of a typical retroviral envelope protein, including a cleavage site that separates the surface (SU) and transmembrane (TM) proteins which form a heterodimer. [provided by RefSeq, Jun 2012]