Evolutionary History of the Proviruses HERV-K 113 and HERV-K 115

Human endogenous retroviruses are found throughout the genome, and most insertions predate human divergence from other primates. A small number are unique to humans and unfixed in the human genome. Much scientific interest has centered on the human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-K113 and HERV-K115 insertions. The evolutionary history of these two endogenous proviruses is complex, and the estimates of both of their insertion times have recently been revised. HERV-K113 inserted into the genome sometime between 0.8 and 1.3 million years ago (Ma), while HERV-K115 was inserted into the genome sometime between 1.1 and 1.9 Ma. Both insertions occurred during a time when Homo erectus is believed to have been the dominant hominin species.