Retrovirus News and Research

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Ancient Viral Remnants Serve as Accurate Aging Clock

DNA markers linked to retroelements - remaining pieces of ancient viral genetic material - in human genes have been found by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the epigenetics startup TruDiagnostic.

20 Aug 2024

Reawakened Endogenous Retroviruses can Play a Critical Role in Helping Cancer Survive

Peek inside the human genome and, among the 20,000 or so genes that serve as building blocks of life, you'll also find flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago.

18 Jul 2024

Deciphering the Significance of m6A RNA Modification in HIV-1 Genome

A chemical modification in the HIV-1 RNA genome whose function has been a matter of scientific debate is now confirmed to be key to the virus's ability to survive and thrive after infecting host cells, a new study has found.

13 Apr 2024

The Role of Ancient Retroviruses in Vertebrate Brain Evolution

According to a study published in the journal Cell, ancient viruses may have contributed to the development of myelin and, consequently, the large, complex brains.

16 Feb 2024

Unveiling HIV's Hidden Entry Point for Targeted Antibodies

As the HIV virus approaches a human cell to dock and potentially deliver its lethal genetic code, there is a remarkably brief moment during which a tiny portion of its surface undergoes a rapid opening, initiating the infection process.

5 Feb 2024

Revealing the Function of Retrotransposons

A retrotransposon, a parasitic DNA sequence that borrows the cell’s own machinery to accomplish its objectives, has been discovered.

13 Jul 2023

Fragments of RNA Viruses Discovered in Coral Partners’ Genomes

The DNA of symbiotic creatures living within reef-building corals has been found to contain the remains of ancient RNA viruses by an international team of marine researchers.

2 Jun 2023

All normal human tissues express remnants of widespread retrovirus

Ancient viral remnants in the human genome are active in both healthy and diseased tissues, restricting their applicability as disease indicators, according to a study published on October 18th, 2022, in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Aidan Burn at Tufts University in Boston, USA and colleagues.

20 Oct 2022

Studies highlight bacteria accelerate the leukemia development in mice through specific viruses

By helping with digestion, supplying nutrients and metabolites, and collaborating with the immune system to ward off pathogens, gut bacteria have a significant impact on health.

14 Sep 2022

Endogenous retroviruses in the human genome are likely to pose a risk in regenerative medicine

Scientists from Kumamoto University used next-generation sequencing to analyze human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) integration sites and found that these primitive retroviruses can retrotranspose (DNA sequence insertion with RNA mediation) into iPS cells.

31 May 2022

COVID-19 virus spreads through cell-to-cell transmission

The virus that causes COVID-19 has adopted some stealth moves to stay alive and kicking, and one secret to its success is hiding from the immune system by spreading through cell-to-cell transmission, a new study has found.

24 Dec 2021

Researchers identify virus-derived variations in human genomes

Three geneticists from RIKEN identified previously undetected snippets of genetic material from viruses that were hidden in human DNA.

12 Aug 2021

Genomic Analysis for the Conservation of Koalas

In this interview, AZoLifeSciences speaks to Professor Parwinder Kaur about her latest research that uses genomic analysis for the conservation of koalas.

From The University of Western Australia 10 May 2021

Innovative gene therapy approach for regeneration of functional new neurons

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes disability and seriously compromises quality of life. While decades of research have made significant progress in axonal regeneration after SCI, most of the interventions have not been translated into clinical therapies.

18 Dec 2020

Endogenous viral elements play important role in genome evolution of green algae

Viruses are tiny invaders that cause a wide range of diseases, from rabies to tomato spotted wilt virus and, most recently, COVID-19 in humans. But viruses can do more than elicit sickness -- and not all viruses are tiny.

19 Nov 2020

Scientists develop novel lab testing procedure for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Knowing you have developed antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus after recovering from COVID-19 doesn't tell you everything about your immunity.

20 Oct 2020

Researchers develop new method to advance wildlife genomics

A team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), the Australian Museum, and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) report a new method for identifying any genome sequence located next to a known sequence.