Retrotransposons (RTs) are the most abundant class of the transposable elements that comprise approximately 45% of the human genomic sequence, of which Alu repeats (Alus) are the most abundant and comprise 11% of the genomic sequence. Alus, named after the internal AluI restriction site found in these repeats, belong to the short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), which are non-autonomous RTs.
Our researchers have discovered that following a viral infection transcribed Alu RNAs are expressed in human tissues and that these Alu RNAs can induce a sustained IFN mediated inflammatory response, which can be pathological. They have developed an in situ hybridization method to visualize Alu RNA in tissues.
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Highlights the significant increase in Alu RNA levels in COVID-19 positive lungs and hCA compared to uninfected individuals, shedding light on the potential role of Alu RNA in viral infections. Magnification: 20X.