Invertebrates billions of years endured fifteen hundred unknown viruses – Вести.Ru

an international group of researchers from Australia and China found 1445 new viruses, including causing the death of the owner, which are carriers of invertebrates.

Previously it was thought that spiders, insects and worms over millions of years, were carrying the virus, but the new study extends the evolutionary history of the centuries and increases this figure to billions. As stated by one of the leading authors of the new Professor Edward Holmes (Edward Holmes) from the University of Sydney, the result is likely to completely change the current understanding of scientists about Virology.

the Researchers, in particular, reported almost a thousand new science of viruses endemic invertebrates. “Worms, spiders and insects — carriers of at least 1445 viruses that are already for billions of years, living with them in a biological symbiosis. We even could not assume that worms can be carriers of some of discovered they have the virus organisms,” said Holmes.

In the course of work, scientists have studied the transcripts (RNA molecules resulting from gene expression or DNA) 220 various invertebrates. They used the latest methods of molecular genetics, including those that help to identify the cause of various diseases in people.

the Result was the discovery of the 1445 RNA-containing viruses (these viruses the genetic information contained in RNA and not in DNA) that live in the animal organism. By the way, that invertebrates were the original carriers of different strains of influenza.

perhaps this study will help physicians to explain the nature of many diseases, for example, a controversial Lyme disease.

the Authors emphasize that the opening – though the sensational to the scientific world – should not be cause for panic. The discovery of so many unknown viruses does not mean that Contracting the flu, touching a beetle or a worm. The transmission of viruses from invertebrates to man is difficult. And if we exclude mosquitoes that can reward the person with malaria and zika virus, other invertebrates do not pose a threat. In addition, the portion of the detected viruses exclusively affects invertebrates and is completely safe for people.

Now, scientists will continue to study the true extent of which is difficult to assess. At least the professionals will have to rewrite the textbooks on Virology and track again the evolutionary development of many diseases. As a maximum – to check whether to become a carrier of the virus and any form of cellular life.

the Full study is published in the journal Nature.

Recall that earlier scientists have discovered a new form of life in human saliva and identified an unknown virus in older blood samples.