Human life depends on the ancient virus
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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In the United States, a group of scientists made a sensational discovery. As studies have shown, the human embryo develops under the action of a retrovirus, which protects it from pathogenic microorganisms.
This study confirms the previously voiced theory that viruses that have become infected with DNA have become the impetus for evolutionary development.
Endogenous retroviruses are the remains of ancient infections, which affected the sex cells of animals and made changes in the genotype. Individuals who could withstand the virus attack and survive, subsequently inherit DNA with changes and pass them on to future generations. Experts have established that endogenous retroviruses constitute about 9% of the genotype and, in principle, do not bring any benefit or harm.
American scientists in the course of research have established that in the first days of embryo development, whether he survives or perishes, depends on the presence of HERVK retrovirus. It is to this ancient virus that man owes life on earth. In the course of the research, experts found that HERVK regulates gene activity and protects against harmful microorganisms. Joanna Vysotska and her colleagues studied the activity of various viruses in three-day human embryos, and as a result, not only the parental DNA was present in the eight-cell embryo, but also the HERVK virus, which is considered to be the latest of endogenous retroviruses that could penetrate human DNA (according to specialists happened about two hundred thousand years ago).
As Vysotskaya noted, the cells of the embryo were literally stuffed with viral protein products, some of which already had time to assemble into virus-like particles.
In further studies, it was found that HERVK retrovirus produces a protein that protects the fetus from the attack of other viruses, in other words, the ancient virus protects the human embryo from influenza and other dangerous diseases. In addition, one of the proteins produced by a retrovirus binds some of the cells of ribonucleic acid and regulates the work of ribosomes.
It turns out that endogenous retrovirus is extremely important for the early development of man, without it, most likely, the fetus died from the attack of various microorganisms in the early days of its development.
The results of her research Joanna Vysotska and her team published in one of the most authoritative scientific journals - Nature. The publication immediately caused a number of comments from colleagues in the scientific community. Patrick Forter, a French scientist, noted in his statement that the researchers were able to show the presence of protein in the early stages of embryo development. It is likely that these proteins play an important role in the early development of the embryo, but scientists still have a lot of work in the field of embryonic development, since this discovery gives more questions than answers.
Experts have been trying for many years to study the human embryo. In the Oregon University of Science and Health, scientists have been able to extract stem cells from human embryos, suggesting that an effective remedy for diseases such as Alzheimer's or multiple sclerosis will soon appear.
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