Oncogenic retroviridae proteins are retroviral

Retrovirus

A retrovirus is an RNA virus that is duplicated in a host cell using the reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome. The DNA is then incorporated into the host's genome by an integrase enzyme. The virus thereafter replicates as part of the host cell's DNA...

 protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

s that have the ability to transform cells

Cell (biology)

The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....

. They can induce sarcomas, leukaemias, lymphomas, and mammary carcinomas

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...

. These include the gag-onc fusion protein

Gag-onc fusion protein

The gag-onc fusion protein is a protein formed from a group-specific antigen and that of an oncovirus , such as C-jun....

, rex, tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

, v-fms, ras, v-myc

Myc

Myc is a regulator gene that codes for a transcription factor. In the human genome, Myc is located on chromosome 8 and is believed to regulate expression of 15% of all genes through binding on Enhancer Box sequences and recruiting histone acetyltransferases...

, v-src, v-akt

AKT

Akt, also known as Protein Kinase B , is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a key role in multiple cellular processes such as glucose metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis, transcription and cell migration.-Family members:...

, v-cbl

CBL

- CBC Radio :* CBL-FM, a CBC Radio Two radio station in Toronto, Ontario* CBC Radio One in Toronto had the call sign CBL for much of the period when it was on the AM band - Sports leagues and associations :* Canadian Baseball League...

, v-crk

CRK (gene)

Adapter molecule crk also known as proto-oncogene c-Crk or p38 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CRK gene.- Function :...

, v-maf, v-abl

Abl gene

V-abl Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1 also known as ABL1 is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the ABL1 gene located on chromosome 9.- Function :...

, v-erbA

V-erbA-related gene

V-erbA-related protein 2 also known as NR2F6 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NR2F6 gene...

, v-erbB, v-fos

C-Fos

In the field of molecular biology and Genetics, c-Fos is a protein encoded by the FOS gene.-Structure and function:c-Fos is a cellular proto-oncogene belonging to the immediate early gene family of transcription factors. c-Fos has a leucine-zipper DNA binding domain, and a transactivation domain at...

, v-mos, v-myb, v-raf

C-Raf

RAF proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase also known as proto-oncogene c-RAF or simply c-Raf is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the RAF1 gene. The c-Raf protein functions in the MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathway as part of a protein kinase cascade...

, v-rel

REL

The proto-oncogene c-Rel is a protein that in humans is encoded by the REL gene. The c-Rel protein is a member of the NF-κB family of transcription factors and contains a Rel homology domain at its N-terminus and two C-terminal transactivation domains. c-Rel has an important role in B-cell...

, and v-sis. The "v" prefix indicates viral genes which once originated as similarly named genes of the host species, but have since been altered through independent evolution as retroviral components. Not all retroviral proteins are oncogenic. The phrase was introduced as a MeSH

Medical Subject Headings

Medical Subject Headings is a comprehensive controlled vocabulary for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books in the life sciences; it can also serve as a thesaurus that facilitates searching...

term in 1990, under which over 6000 primary scientific publications are indexed.