Viral Fossil Brought Back to Life

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Psychlone
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02 Nov 2006, 3:35 am

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/co ... 006/1101/4

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In a controversial study, researchers have resurrected a retrovirus that infected our ancestors millions of years ago and now sits frozen in the human genome. Published online by Genome Research this week, the study may shed new light on the history of these genomic intruders, as well as their role in tumors. Although this particular virus, dubbed Phoenix, is a wimpy one, some argue that resuscitating any ancient virus is inherently risky and that the study should have undergone stricter reviews.

Good thing these scientists didn't destroy us all with their meddling!

KBABZ
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02 Nov 2006, 3:42 am

It sounds like a mixture of Resident Evil and Jurrasic Park!

MrMark
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02 Nov 2006, 6:23 am

Psychlone wrote:

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/1101/4

Quote:

that the study should have undergone stricter reviews.

I felt that way about the temporal experments the guy was doing in STNG: We'll always have Paris. Don't you need a permit for that? :lol:

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richardbenson
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02 Nov 2006, 12:28 pm

one of these days all those viruses that they've trapped are gonna escape or a terrorist is gonna find out how to steal them

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One-Winged-Angel
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02 Nov 2006, 5:18 pm

richardbenson wrote:

one of these days all those viruses that they've trapped are gonna escape or a terrorist is gonna find out how to steal them

That happened in a movie. It turned people into zombies.

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Quatermass
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02 Nov 2006, 5:56 pm

You, know OWA, I thought your comment would be a smart-arsed one about how Jenova was a viral fossil revived.

I bet you're thinking of either 28 Days Later or the Resident Evil films.

This is actually an interesting bit of discovery, and while I understand certain fears that come from "reviving" a virus, one point to consider is that, as a retrovirus (like HIV), it is less likely to infect someone than, say, a flu virus, due to transmission issues (after all, HIV and other retroviruses are spread through bodily fluids, but cannot, as far as I know, be transmitted by aerosol, though the jury's still out whether an aerosol can transmit Ebola).

If, say, the study had found a fossilised filovirus (Marburg and Ebola), they should take all necessary precautions....

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Quatermass
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02 Nov 2006, 5:58 pm

Damn, I just had a look at the article. They actually took elements out of our DNA and remade the virus! s**t, that is something, but I suppose they knew what to look for....

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One-Winged-Angel
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02 Nov 2006, 6:02 pm

Quatermass wrote:

I bet you're thinking of either 28 Days Later or the Resident Evil films.

If it was Resident Evil, I would have said it was in a video game. It was 28 Days Later.

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17 Nov 2006, 6:44 pm

only if I can dress up like Milla Jovovich

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