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8% of Your DNA Comes From a Virus
An anonymous reader writes "About 8 percent of human genetic material comes from a virus and not from our ancestors, according to an article by University of Texas at Arlington biology professor Cédric Feschotte, published in the Jan. 7, 2010 issue of Nature magazine."
Humans are a virus!
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Eight percent, I consider that a fair return on an investment.
Is any of that DNA in use or are those parts dormant? What effect do these modifications have on us beyond the initial use of replication and further propagation of viruses?
8% of my Windows code comes from Viruses.
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
Isn't this "discovery" sort of like the Bible Code? So they searched the human genome and found a bunch of "virus like" patterns. Any sufficiently large set of information is going to give you some matches on just about anything you search for.
No fair when solely investigating the Bush administration, we already concluded that part ourselves!
This is a fairly good little video that explains how RNA monomers end up naturally forming into longer polymer chains. Roughly 95% of our DNA is basically crap that only exists because at some point in the past, it was better at copying itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6QYDdgP9eg
These are endogenous virus fragments. Which means that a virus inserted itself into your ancestor's DNA. So you didn't get this new DNA after you were born, you inherited the 8% viral DNA from your ancestors.
Doesn't Norton protect me from such stuff?
Does this make the virus top of the food chain?
I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here, Mr. Malda. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague and we are the cure.
They really need to stop using thier gene sequencers to search for porn.
The real news here doesn't appear to be that endogenization has occured through our past (OK, maybe the 8% number is news; I don't know about the numbers...) but instead that a virus, bornavirus, is displaying this property. This is news because bornaviruses are not retroviruses (previously the only know virus-types to produce endogenous copies.) Furthermore, the article seems to suspect that this virus may have ties to the schizophrenia and mood disorders...
Demented But Determined.
I thought that it was long accepted fact that retroviruses can change DNA and those DNA changes can then be passed down to future generations. Perhaps I just watch too many sci-fi shows...
So they discovered some gene sequences that are the same in humans and viruses. Well, I probably share about 95% of the same chemicals as topsoil, but that doesn't mean my great-granddaddy was a ball of mud.
"Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish"
Albert Einstein
Oh wait, the article says "the genomes of humans and other mammals contain DNA derived from the insertion of bornaviruses" plural. My bad.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
So 8% of my DNA comes from a virus and not from my ancestors? I guess that means that I was infected with the DNA after conception and for some reason it's not heritable since I didn't get any from my ancestors. The big story, then, is that there is a mechanism that excludes the viral DNA during meiosis.
Dr Feschotte must have cringed when he read the release.
Nate
I woke up this morning wondering how much of our DNA was influenced by viruses.
Turns out it's 8%.
Thanks, slashdot! :D
You can't take the sky from me...
Google for placenta and endogenous (as in endogenous virus). The placenta uses a lot of viral code, to the extent that it might be more virus than anything else. It also sheds a lot of viruses. The placenta is almost a different life form.
BTW, the Wikipedia entry shows that the "8%" number was known as long as 6 years ago.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous_retrovirus
That explains a lot actually.
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There are genes that control other genes, which means that DNA changes itself on its own, depending on certain environmental conditions.
BornAVirus - EndOVirus.
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So, finally, an explanation for Republicans.
* Carthago Delenda Est *
I'm quite sure that that 8% was merely introduced into our genetic code by an Intelligent Designer, just to throw scientists off the trail a bit.
Considering the necessity of viruses to have some "host-like" code within them, is it not just as possible that viruses got most of their code from hosts rather than vice versa?
Never destroy evil completely, balance and al. Maybe we loose little something each time we destroy a horrible disease.
Also, how little do we know about nearly everything. Kids in a sandbox.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/full/463039a.html
That section is mostly commissioned and if not submissions reviewed by editor (technically, not peer reviewed).
The author of the referred N&V article is the author one of the articles in the reference section...
For peer-reviewed article, I would go for:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/full/nature08695.html
written by bunch of Japanese:
Endogenous non-retroviral RNA virus elements in mammalian genomes
I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
I've never seen the 8% number before. What's interesting to me is that viruses that have their entire lifecycle in the neurons somehow infect germ-line cells.
Antibiotics will prevent us from ever tapping into the force by killing off all our Midichlorians. . .
She told me she was TESTED!
About 8 percent of human genetic material comes from a virus and not from our ancestors
Not at all what TFA says. Sure, originally we must have had ancestors without any viral DNA, but unless the virus infected us personally and not any ancestor, the 8% of genetic material comes from a virus and from our ancestors.
It is antivirus signature database.
After reading this, I feel an overwhelming need to run off to the laundromat and get my genes thoroughly washed....
How can this be news is a bit beyond me but then again I have had my coffeeeeeeee.
. . . she called the virus "your no-good father!"
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
It's interesting how did they chose a particular protein in the Supplementary table of the peer-reviewed Japanese article in Nature (first ref in N&V article by the Italian, the N&V reference is in the bottom of the OA).
They chose hit LOC340900
but if you look for the blinks for H1499's nucleoprotein it lists:
PREDICTED: hypothetical protein [Macaca mulatta]
with slightly higher score than the next hit (from Human).
I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
So nature does open source genetic engineering? Sweet!
Seriously though, could this be used to explain some instances of co-evolution?
And an additional 33% from SQL injection attacks?
I scream. You scream. I assume that means we're both acquainted with the problem. We proceed.
8% of the Linux kernel code comes from Linus... Don't shoot the messenger.
The posted summary is somewhat misleading. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are responsible for ~8% of the human genome sequence, but these things haven't been active for a long time in terms of human history - so the 8% that's in your genome now did come from your parents, and their parents etc. until you get back to the time many thousands of years ago when HERVs were actively creating new insertions. The linked summary is a summary of a new finding in which the 'endogenization' of a new class of virus known as a Bornavirus is reported (which exists in only a few copies in humans)
Now it is obvious why viral marketing works so well.
"Moderate" Republicans like Olympia Snow are obviously 8% rhinovirus.
"Tax and spend" Democrats have a generous helping of H1N1 (aka swine flu).
This might be a fun game - determining the viral component of various politicians and celebrities.
Anyone want to play? I don't know enough virii to suggest good matches.
You either believe in rational thought or you don't
That's gotta gum up the OOP model.
Table-ized A.I.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/12/03/071203fa_fact_specter
David Brin's short story "The Giving Plague" (from the 1994 collection "Otherness") uses this idea as a central concept.
The idea was that, over LONG periods of time, viruses form symbiotic relationships with humans. In some cases, even integrating themselves directly into our DNA.
I love it when science fiction writers guess correctly about the future. (Though I hope that's the ONLY part of that story he got right... the rest was double plus ungood)
Come play free flash games on Kongregate!
It's the Y Chromosome
are you descended from a virus on your mother's side, or your father's side?
The "8% of your genome" comes from the first paragraph of the News and Views article which reviews the actual article by Horie et al, and is referring to ALL viral remnants in the human genome, not just this new Bornavirus one. From a quick scan of the paper, it looks like they didn't estimate what fraction of the human genome comes from their Bornavirus, but they only describe 4 actual elements - so that's a vanishingly small part of the human genome. The vast majority of viral elements in the genome come from retroviruses and other retrotransposons, and that's been known for a long time.
From the article the research was "led by Professor Keizo Tomonaga at Osaka University in Japan". The article that Cedric wrote was just an opinion piece discussing the research by Dr. Tomonaga.
"Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" -- Homer
In "The Selfish Gene" Richard Dawkins predicts that exactly this happens but he didn't have any evidence to back it up at the time. Since "successful" genes are only successful if they continue to replicate it stands to reason that genes will "discover" ways to replicate most successfully. If you can fool a host into allowing yourself as part of its DNA, then the host will do the replicating for you during normal sexual behavior. Over many generations at some point the gene may find it most convenient to simply become a part of the host rather than seeking out new hosts. This way the gene will be a part of the host and a has a 50% chance of being part of the host's offspring. The gene (virus) has discovered a successful way to replicate!
Considering something like 30% of the genome is made up of introns (unexpressed DNA), I'm not too surprised. In theory at least, anything could be there with little effect on survivability.
I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
Would that be accounts, politicians, lawyers and marketers not necessarily in that order then?
Everything in the article points to the fact this 8% leads to disease (sometimes deadly) and not any Marvel/DC super abilities.
So if the Vidiian Phage is proved as possible, thus must medicine end all transfusion, human organ transplants and skin grafts from non-clones.
You just don't get an organ, you are getting the historical DNA from that person's linage which may contain much more than what your bargaining for your progeny.
Soon as one of these viruses (perhaps already present) is is one of these tissues or fluids its game over as its impossible to DNA sequence each cell in the donation for such. No science today will detect if it bridged over from the donated material nor know if your DNA is being corrupted due to them till its too late.
I wonder how neatly this fits in with the "Aliens mutated pre-humans into humans" theory. If we were able to prevent a developing human from inheriting this DNA mutating virus, would they then become pre-human?
I am not in the least bit surprised that at some point in the evolution of life on this planet a virus was able to cross the barriers and become a permanent part of our genetic code. I think as the human genome (as well as the genome of other life) is further unraveled, we'll find more and more evidence of this exact nature.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
I'll offer proof that this is actually happening; a species that follows human, the Eastern Gray Squirrel, has adapted to cars. Previously, they had an inborn, instinctive behavior of darting in circles when confronted by a danger. This was thought to be an adaptation that helped them escape predation by birds of prey. But this was maladaptive when confronted by a speeding vehicle.
These days, the gray squirrel runs in a straight line when it is in danger. This is probably good news for birds of prey, but squirrel populations are thriving, so I doubt that birds are as big a problem as cars are.
I don't doubt that our environment is promoting genetic variations that are compatible with technology. That meme has been suggested before.
Best regards.
"a cause of mutation and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and mood disorders ... a virus epidemic in 1885 wiped out a regiment of cavalry horses ... it infects only neurons, establishing a persistent infection in its host's brain"
I'm not sure how, but the writing of Philip K. Dick (a.k.a. Horselover Fat) has to be connected to this in some way.
We should expect viruses to be a large source of our genetic material, simply because they have access to it. Viruses are all about penetrating into DNA and modifying it. If the host subsequently reproduces, those modifications could be passed on. Each such modification could: * Be useless junk dna * Be generally useful. Does it matter where good ideas come from? * Be harmful, maybe even make descendants more susceptible to attack from the original virus. * Allow descendants to better identify and defend against that attacker, AKA counterintelligence.
Birth is the leading cause of death.
I know that when I have a cold, it FEELS like 8% of my body weight is in snot. Now I know for sure. :/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snWstiQ4W9g Smith know this tidbit of information before this scientist.
You should really stop switching between third and first person.
Well, we've already seen that parents pass immunity/resistance to various viruses on to their offspring, hence Natives dying from smallpox when European settlers showed up (the Europeans were mostly immune presumably because they'd already encountered the virus, the Natives had never been exposed prior).
So in that case, you must have a whole bunch of DNA dedicated to keeping track of viruses and the countermeasures to fighting them, otherwise you wouldn't be able to have hereditary immunity.
I think I'll call in sick!
...on a fresh install, anyway. The percentage increases the older your computer gets!
"These data yield a testable hypothesis for the alleged, but still controversial, causative association of BDV infection with schizophrenia and mood disorders," Feschotte said.
Does that mean that we can now infect someone with schizophrenia by injecting them with a virus? And that that individual's children are more likely to have schizophrenia?
Scanstyles does nothing in Webkit/Firefox when clicking the link... Okay the one time I decide to RTFA before posting my comments and look what happens...
by the time all protons in the universe would have decayed the likelyhood that you would have won even once would be so small that you could not even imagine.
I don't know I can imagine quite a little.
Only a portion of christians believe that...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Eucharist#Eucharistic_theology_2
(as long as we're trading Wikipedia links)
8% is just the amount that isn't so old, mixed and mangled that it can be identified as viral in origin.
...
And when I find the perverted virus that had sex with my ancestor, I'm going to be *very* *very* angry!
"Infinite monkeys pounding on keyboards over an infinite span of time would create the combined works of William Shakespeare, and all that..."
The Internet has quite easily disproved that.
You might even say, we are partly related to viruses. Might we also say that we are somewhat symbiotic with viruses ? Could the immune system have originally been a virus... Perhaps the first swelling of the mammalian brain...
Even though the 8% is intentionally misleading in the teaser article, it seems strange to me that the researcher leaps from genetic mutations to psychiatric disorders. Why didn't he at least theorize about the most widespread mutation result: cancer? Oncoviruses have been known since the fifties though I've never heard a compelling explanation of why all viruses aren't oncoviruses. With all the recent hoopla on HPV and the "cervical cancer vaccine," this discovery seems much more important than just psychiatric disorders. It makes me wonder if the difference between and oncovirus and a harmless virus is just the location of its leftover gene sequences. It would be interesting to see if leftover viral sequences in introns are associated with a higher cancer risk than sequences left in exons.
Not only Catholics (which themselves represent majority of Christians). Also Orthodox and Lutheran churches.
Yes, they might differ in theological interpretation of what's going on behind the scenes; but all agree that the faithfull are deity eaters.
One that hath name thou can not otter
Turns out he was right. Humans are a form of Virus after all. Who knew?
Its just common code.
There are only so many variations given a number of bits. DNA is nothing but a string of bit patterns, given that all live on earth operates in more or less the same general way at the lower levels, it shouldn't be surprising that we've run into a some duplicate code. So far the code is public domain as far as I know so its probably been shared without patent or copyright lawsuite concerns by more than a few different organisms even if just by dumb luck.
Unrelated species have been known to develop very similar features when something about their environment is similar.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
"I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure. "
Based on the short summary article, they just found DNA similar to a specific virus sequences (which infects neurons) . Did anyone consider the opposite theory ? Instead of the DNA coming from the virus, isn't it possible the virus came from our DNA? Or maybe the virus is a left-over or damaged piece of a larger puzzle (since this virus is found is many animals, maybe it palys a part in many animals interacting with each other...)
just a thought...
AB HOC POSSUM VIDERE DOMUM TUUM
I feel sick just reading this ??? might have been the pork I had for lunch and taco bell :0)
FragHARD or don't frag at all
No, <stallone>you're the disease, and I'm the cure.</stallone>
Downmodding is the refuge of the weak. Don't downmod, make a better argument!
I had read about it a few years back, the theory that states that human evolution, the big leap in evolution that turned neanderthals into homo-sapiens was actually a Virus that nearly wiped out all of the Neanderthals and only the ones able to adapt to the virus (mutate) survived (that being us of course) This 8% could be the evidence that the scientific community have been searching for, can you imagine, the missing-link not found in fossil records but actually in our DNA? A similar theory exists regarding A.I. reaching a cognitive state, but that is a horse of a different color altogether.
There you go, if you're depressed, manic or schizophrenic, it could be one of your ancestors got a brain virus.
Could simply be that your ancestors used Windows a lot...
First, 4 decades ago, I was pointing that out to others at CDC (I worked there then) and most felt that it was not the case. Likewise, even here on this site, I was saying the saying that most of our mutations come from virus, to which I would be modded down, or have fools reply back that it was immpossible.
Second, we need to start a new program through the world (perhaps a Gates project). In particular, we should have each nation draw blood from at least 100 babies. Then draw blood every so often. Or perhaps draw it every 20 years, then compare it. By fingerprinting (or sequencing once it is cheap enough), we can find any gross changes, while ignoring the minute changes. The minute changes will be just breakdown in DNA, basically, mutations. BUT the gross changes will very likely be virus. We have far more viruses then are realized, that are asymptomatic. These are serving to make mutations in us. My guess is that the higher the population density, the higher the mutation rate. I would not be surprised to find that Japan, EU, and China have some of the highest rates. In fact, more likely China, since they have a high population density and not so much concern with public health (Like Americans, they think that going to work while sick is admirable, but ignores the effect on making others sick; Japanese and EU prefers that you not come in).
What we should be looking for, is virus that cross species boundaries. Those are going to be likely to introduce new genes into other species. For starters, I would not be the least surprised to find that dogs/cats/birds due to density, and pigs/birds due to flu share some interesting genes with us. What I also would not be surprised, is to find that they are gaining intelligence because of the viruses.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
There you go, if you're depressed, manic or schizophrenic, it could be one of your ancestors got a brain virus.
A "brain virus" would of course not be inheritable. To inherit anything, the virus would have to exist in your ancestors genitalia.
If it is linked to mental disorders, it means the virus swapped out parts of human DNA related to the brain. This is completely unrelated to it being a "brain virus" or not.
I lost my sig.
I could be wrong about my history, but I either Weiss or Kornberg proposed this many years ago. It's nice to see some more proof.
seriously ...
I'm suprised a blast job saying" look there's viral remnants in a genome" is Nature worthy.
Must be a slow month for prestigious paper submissions.