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| Science & Technology |
| Scientists Resuscitate A 5 Million-Year-Old Retrovirus inside our DNA! |
| 2006-11-07 |
| A team of scientists has reconstructed the DNA sequence of a 5-million-year-old retrovirus and shown that it is able to produce infectious particles. The retrovirus--named Phoenix--is the ancestor of a large family of mobile DNA elements, some of which may play a role in cancer. The study, which is the first to generate an infectious retrovirus from a mobile element in the human genome, is considered a breakthrough for the field of retrovirus research. The findings are reported in Genome Research. "Phoenix became frozen in time after it integrated into the human genome about 5 million years ago," explains Dr. Thierry Heidmann, lead investigator on the project. "In our study, we've recovered this ancestral state and shown that it has the potential for infectivity." |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #8 Anon2U - uh huh...Captain Trips... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-11-07 19:12 |
| #7 Jezuz H... Uh, guys? Can we NOT play with the dormant retrovirii, please? |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-11-07 17:43 |
| #6 I, for one, welcome our new HERVs Overlords! |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-11-07 14:26 |
| #5 Cheapass USA Network made for TV horror movie begins production in five, . . . four, . . . three, . . . |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-11-07 14:06 |
| #4 Fresh new start? All hell breaks loose, we all head to CO, kill the walking man and his moonbats, and wala. |
| Posted by: Evil Elvis 2006-11-07 13:59 |
| #3 And why do we want to reactivate? Why do I keep thinking The Stand? |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2006-11-07 10:05 |
| #2 I didn't realize Kerry was all covered with fur underneath his suit. |
| Posted by: Whomoque Gravimp8761 2006-11-07 06:24 |
| #1 The only difference between us and Bigfoot is he doesn't have the retrovirus that makes the rest of us comparatively hairless. |
| Posted by: Croling Shineck2383 2006-11-07 00:55 |