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ANTIVIRAL SYSTEM. "This ability of symbionts to condition and promote the immune capacities of the holobiont is not exclusive to vertebrates. In several insect species, bacteria of the genus Wolbachia appear to play an important role in antiviral protection." https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

NEWTHINK. "For animals, as well as plants, there have never been individuals." Contemplate this carefully. https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

INTERSPECIES MERGERS. "Animals can no longer be considered individuals in any sense of classical biology: anatomical, developmental, physiological, immunological, genetic, or evolutionary. Our bodies must be understood as holobionts whose anatomical, physiological, immunological, and developmental functions evolved in shared relationships of different species." https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

IMPACT ON ADAPTION. "Convergent evolution of gene expression via the insertion of transposable elements also suggests that such transposons can mediate adaptive evolution. The selective silencing of such transposons by DNA methylation or small interfering RNAs appears to be another policing mechanism that has facilitated evolution." https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

INSOURCED GENES DRIVE UTERUS. "The emergence of the uterus, the defining character of eutherian mammals, appears to have been facilitated independently in several mammalian families by transposons integrating into the regions controlling the expression of the prolactin gene. These transposons contain transcription factor binding sites that enable the prolactin gene to become expressed in the uterine cells." https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

PARASITIC OR NEW TOOL? "Although much of this added DNA is thought to be “parasitic,” some transposable elements may have been critical in creating new patterns of transcription." https://lnkd.in/ddVyNR5 View in LinkedIn

Boston public schools map switch aims to New maps amend 500 years of distortion https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/19/boston-public-schools-world-map-mercator-peters-projection?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other View in LinkedIn

BREEDING MACHINES. "Viruses exist for one purpose only: to reproduce. To do that, they have to take over the reproductive machinery of suitable host cells." https://lnkd.in/dPy3Zu6 View in LinkedIn

ARE VIRUSES ALIVE? Perhaps it is best to get on with studying the beasts rather than resorting to old-fashioned opinion-based discourses. Unless, of course, you are in the business of looking for unusual life in unexpected places. Then you need to have a grasp of the possible forms of living things. https://lnkd.in/d6yNyaW View in LinkedIn

SPANISH FLU VIRIS REBORN. "Reconstruction of the 1918 virus and studies elucidating the exceptional virulence and transmissibility of the virus are providing exciting new insights into this devastating pandemic strain." It killed 50-100 million people. We still do not have a vaccine against it. https://lnkd.in/dDh4WMA View in LinkedIn