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dna

Viruses reproduce by infiltrating living cells and taking over the biological machinery inside. Information technology's an insidious procedure that tin go out the host with a life-threatening affliction, a mild fever, or no ill effects at all. Recent advances in medical science take allowed humans to combat viruses similar never earlier, only a new study from researchers at Rockefeller University shows how our primate ancestors may accept waged state of war on a virus with only the weapon of evolution.

Viruses don't go out behind fossil evidence, only sometimes their DNA can survive as part of their victims, and that's where the squad went looking in this example. The written report focuses on an ancient virus known equally HERV-T, which began infecting primates some 32 to 43 million years ago. HERV-T is a retrovirus (just similar HIV), which means information technology carried its genetic cloth effectually every bit RNA. Eukaryotic cells (like ours) are DNA-based, so one of the kickoff things HERV-T did upon gaining access to a jail cell was plough its RNA into Deoxyribonucleic acid, then it stuffed information technology into the cell'due south Deoxyribonucleic acid to be duplicated.

HERV-T has long since gone extinct, but the researchers were able to find its remains in the genetic material of various primates. The germline cells similar fetal cells, sperm progenitors, and eggs that were infected with HERV-T passed the viral genes downwardly over the eons. This is what allowed the team to construct a timeline for the ascent and fall of HERV-T, and discover out how our ancestors might have killed it.

When HERV-T began popping upwardly in primates around 40 meg years ago, it used a poly peptide on host cells called MCT1 to gain admission. The virus used a protein called ancHTenv to link up with that protein, like a key in a lock. The team also found a remarkably well-preserved version of that protein hiding in the DNA of primates (including humans), which they've named hsaHTenv. Information technology's non uncommon for organisms to choice upward a chip of nucleic acrid here and there from viruses, just the nature of this gene suggests some interesting possibilities. The team used the remaining genetic lawmaking to reconstruct the ancient virus protein and study its function, which was a scientific get-go.

retrovirus

The life cycle of a retrovirus.

Scientists postulate that hsaHTenv was captured past our hominid ancestors' cells around xix million years agone. This gene was used by cells to produce the "key" protein of the virus independent of the virus itself. This in turn allowed cells to immunize themselves. Basically, hsaHTenv could bind to MCT1 particles in the cell, preventing them from being added to the cell's membrane. With no MCT1 on the surface, the virus had no way to infect the prison cell. In the space of a few meg years, HERV-T died out as its pool of hosts shrunk.

Non all researchers are convinced past the information, but such is the nature of scientific discipline. Information technology's possible the presence of hsaHTenv in primate genomes is due to another cistron, not its use every bit a weapon against ancient retroviruses. Yet, it's a fascinating hypothesis that warrants further study.

At present read: How DNA sequencing works