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VIRAL UPPER RANGE. "Some of them (e.g., T4-phages) have reached a high level of complexity in their DNA replication machinery, and consequently encode functional analogs for all proteins involved in cellular DNA replication." https://lnkd.in/dNTbYMw View in LinkedIn

EXOTIC VIRUS PROPERTIES. "Viruses can have exotic properties: they can replicate in dead cells, repair radiation-damaged hosts, or recombine with other dead viruses and generate an intact cell. In some cases, hosts can benefit from viruses. An ancient retrovirus supported the development of the placenta in mammals." https://lnkd.in/eGaw2Kq View in LinkedIn

RANGE OF SOPHISTICATION. "Some DNA viruses replicate their genome using only replication proteins encoded by their host (with the exception of initiator proteins). However, many large DNA viruses encode also several proteins involved in the elongation step of DNA replication." https://lnkd.in/dNTbYMw View in LinkedIn

VIRAL FOSSIL RECORD IS DNA. "The genomes of many organism contain endogenous viral elements (EVEs). These DNA sequences are the remnants of ancient virus genes and genomes that ancestrally 'invaded' the host germline. For example, the genomes of most vertebrate species contain hundreds to thousands of sequences derived from ancient retroviruses." https://lnkd.in/dPyAFVt View in LinkedIn

MORE FLEXIBLE. "In contrast to cellular genomes, which are all made of double-stranded DNA, viral DNA genomes are very diverse." https://lnkd.in/dNTbYMw View in LinkedIn

ANCIENT VIRAL RESURRECTION."A 35 Mio-year-old HERV was reconstructed from several defective HERV sequences by deduction of a consensus sequence as infectious virus, designated Phoenix." https://lnkd.in/eGaw2Kq View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE continues from last weekend on the evo-devo concept. This paper examines the genetic basis for flower morphological adaptive changes. These include genetic redundancy, the fact that morphology genetic drivers are different from metabolic pathway drivers. The multi-level and nuanced capacities of the plant genome are exemplified in how flowers may change shape to adapt to new conditions. View in LinkedIn

VIRAL MACHINERY MIRROR OPPOSITE. "Coevolution between retroviruses and cells resulted in a surprising phenomenon: similarities between viruses and host anti-viral defense machineries. Each component of the virus has an equivalent in the cellular antiviral defense system." https://lnkd.in/eGaw2Kq View in LinkedIn

COMPLEX VIRAL SYMBIOSIS. "The wasps use their onboard viruses, called bracoviruses, to control the development and immunity of the caterpillars they parasitize. The wasps use the viral genes to make virus-like particles containing genes for a toxin, which they insert into their caterpillar prey when they lay their eggs. The infected caterpillar then acts as an incubator for the wasp eggs. Meanwhile, the toxin is made by the caterpillar and poisons its immune system, causes paralysis and stops the caterpillar from pupating." https://lnkd.in/d-szGeg View in LinkedIn

VIRAL DNA IS ACTIVE IN OUR GENOMES. "35-Mio-year-old endogenous HERVs can play a role in gene regulation and cancer formation to this very day. Only about 2% of the human DNA codes for protein products. This is only twice as much as in flies, worms and weeds. However, the genes are about 100-fold larger in humans, allowing complex regulation of gene expression, and with splicing, the number of coding genes is even higher. The human genome contains about 40,000 HERVs today." https://lnkd.in/eGaw2Kq View in LinkedIn