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Ancient Virus DNA Discovery Could Be a Breakthrough In How Diseases Are Treated
concertina226 (2447056) writes "Understanding how retroviruses are passed down through our DNA could be the key to helping researchers re-programme normal cells to become stem cells for treating diseases. Researchers from Canada and Singapore have discovered that the ancient viruses which entered our ancestors' genomes thousands of years ago have altered the way our cells behave; the material left by dead viruses in our cells is the answer. 1,000 copies of one particular class of retroviruses, known as the human endogenous retrovirus HERV-H, is still in our genome, and while the HERV-H retrovirus DNA is dead and cannot replicate itself, it continues to send out messages telling the embryonic stem cell how to become other cells in the body, and this is what makes the cells pluripotent."
More likely billions. If that "dead" virus DNA gives our cells the ability to specialize, they're pretty much the requirement for complex organisms that aren't just a collection of identical cells. And that in turn means that pretty much everything but single cell organism (and groups thereof) need that DNA sequence.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I think we are looking at a bad summary as usually the articles dateline is March 31st, but thank you for reminding me to get off of the internet for the next ~48 hours.
"In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson