Virus Stole a Human Gene and Won't Let Go of It

3 comments

• pazimzadeh 56 minutes ago
  Seems par for the course since our adaptive immune system is based on an old viral/transposon recombinase.

  Transposon Molecular Domestication and the Evolution of the RAG Recombinase

  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6494689/

  Here is the actual study:

  Escape of the BC200 gene to a human poxvirus reveals its persistent transposition in primates

  https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aeh3441
• initramfs 43 minutes ago
  This brings a whole new meaning to sores. Has this infection been previously identified? Edit: Yes https://www.cdc.gov/molluscum-contagiosum/about/index.html

  I guess it just hadn't been linked to human genes before.
• readthenotes1 1 hour ago
  This must be microbe awareness day.

  Earlier iirc someone posted

  https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cancer-infections-9.7361622