New discoveries about ancient viruses help better understand HIV

Scientists have discovered the history of Retrovirus - the virus that existed 30 million years ago, helping scientists better understand the evolution of today's viruses.

Retrovirus is a virus that exists abundantly in nature, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and -2) and human leukemia virus. In this new study, the researchers looked at a specific group of viruses of this strain, called ERV-Fc, that affect many host species.

Researcher Welkin Johnson (Boston University, USA) - the co-author of the study said: "Viruses have been with us for billions of years and they are everywhere. So they work. significantly to the ecological and evolutionary environment of all organisms, from bacteria to humans, unfortunately the virus does not leave fossils after they die, meaning we know very little about the origin and However, their genetic changes are accumulated in the DNA genomes of living organisms, including humans, which can be considered "fossils" to explore the calendar. virus evolution ".

Images of retrovirus strains.(Source: HNGN).

Using these "fossil" samples, the researchers focused on detecting the evolutionary history of ERV-Fc virus . First, they looked for the genome of this virus parasitic in mammals and then built up a simulation of the genomes of ancient viruses, the ancestors of today's species.

Researchers have identified an evolutionary model in the genes of these viruses, reflecting their adaptability to different mammalian hosts. Interestingly, they discovered that these viruses often exchange genes with each other and with other viruses. This shows that genetic recombination plays an important role in their evolution.

"Mammal genes contain hundreds of thousands of ancient viral fossils, similar to ERV-Fc," said the study's lead author William E. Diehl, lead author of the study.

"We will use the ancient viral genome to demonstrate the long-term consequences of emerging strains. From there, we can assess the impact of HIV on human health in 30 years. million years from now, this method will allow us to better understand when a new virus will appear, why and how it affects host organisms " - he said.