Unexpected Inheritance: Human Genome Contains Ebola Virus Sequences

This is just too cool not to post. Gives new credence to the "humans are supraorganisms" viewpoint, and expands the Gaia hypothesis biologically.

Question: If we try to destroy the Ebola viruses, would we be committing suicide?

….Given that "they" are us?

Unexpected Inheritance: Multiple Integrations of Ancient Bornavirus and Ebolavirus/Marburgvirus Sequences in Vertebrate Genomes

….In 19 of the tested vertebrate species, we discovered as many as 80 high-confidence examples of genomic DNA sequences that appear to be derived, as long ago as 40 million years, from ancestral members of 4 currently circulating virus families with single strand RNA genomes. Surprisingly, almost all of the sequences are related to only two families in the Order Mononegavirales: the Bornaviruses and the Filoviruses, which cause lethal neurological disease and hemorrhagic fevers, respectively. ….The conservation of relatively long open reading frames for several of the endogenous sequences, the virus-like protein regions represented, and a potential correlation between their presence and a species' resistance to the diseases caused by these pathogens, are consistent with the notion that their products provide some important biological advantage to the species. ….the examples described here should be considered a low estimate of the number of such integration events that have persisted over evolutionary time scales. Clearly, the sources of genetic information in vertebrate genomes are much more diverse than previously suspected.

…..a separately derived primate lineage (comprising marmosets, macaques, chimps, and humans) contains endogenous BDV gene N-related sequences integrated into seven different places in the genomes. …..In the primate line these sites first appear in the present day marmosets and have been retained over forty million years from a common ancestor of marmosets and humans (Figure 2). ……several integrations show signs of strong positive selection, namely those related to the BDV N gene in humans, microbats, rodents, and other animals, and both the EBOV/MARV NP and VP35 gene-related integrations in bats and tarsier. Some integration events, including the BDV N-like sequences in humans (e.g. hsEBLN-1) and the EBOV VP35-like sequences in microbats (mlEEL35) have maintained nearly full-length open reading frames (Table 2). The probability of having no stop codon in the longest of these, the BDV gene N-like integration in humans, is one in eight hundred, suggesting that at some time, past or present, there was strong selective pressure to keep and express this ancestral viral gene.

Also see:

Ebola Epidemic Could Become Global Crisis

Ebola Airborne? Spreads From Pigs to Monkeys Without Contact





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reply to post by soficrow


Kill the humans, they are infecting us with their viruses!

reply to post by soficrow


From the link…

…suggesting that at some time, past or present, there was strong selective pressure to keep and express this ancestral viral gene.

From former plagues? An engram maybe, an immune response to an outbreak looong ago? Sounds like it. These are old…

…DNA sequences that appear to be derived, as long ago as 40 million years, from ancestral members of 4 currently circulating virus families…

Problem is that the viruses have mutated since then. Hows that "outbreak" in Guinnea progressing?

So would this mean that if we were to immunize against Ebola or create something to help us fight it that we would be causing our immune system to target our own DNA material? Could some people have different sequences on their DNA that would cause other vaccines to attack their own cells. This is really interesting information, we could possibly be causing problems by stimulating the body to fight these kind of things. Maybe that is why some people cannot take vaccines while others can. Now if these genetic modifications are on some forms of cells more predominantly in our bodies, those areas would be targeted by the immune system response.

As you know, I try to apply what I learn on a broad spectrum approach. This gives me more to research.

Seven spots, seems kind of important to me.

reply to post by rickymouse

So would this mean that if we were to immunize against Ebola or create something to help us fight it that we would be causing our immune system to target our own DNA material?

Yep. Same problem with retroviruses - but this is unusual in that these are DNA viruses.

We really are "all one" - and the whole "attack" germs and diseases paradigm is seriously dumb. Because we really are attacking ourselves when we do that.

reply to post by intrptr


Paleogenetics shows that we are a kind of amalgam of bacteria and viruses - more the foundation of how we were "built" and evolved - a mix that occurred long before we were complex organisms. This is one of those.

Yes, Ebola has mutated since - in terms of evolution and epigenetic response to the environment, we need to integrate new mutations - it's a mechanism that helps us adapt to our changed environment [Alert: controversial idea].

The "Guinea" outbreak looks like several, spread over hundreds and hundreds of miles - suspected cases have been reported in several areas and other countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Mali.

reply to post by soficrow


Sounds like a built in kill-switch to me. If/when the humans get out of hand/control, it is simply activated to eliminate the problem.

reply to post by soficrow

Paleogenetics shows that we are a kind of amalgam of bacteria and viruses - more the foundation of how we were "built" and evolved - a mix that occurred long before we were complex organisms. This is one of those.

Oh, right. The electric mud puddle origins theory. I hold to some designer, developer and producer of life. But that was even longer ago and I have as much "proof" as you do…

Yes, Ebola has mutated since - in terms of evolution and epigenetic response to the environment, we need to integrate new mutations - it's a mechanism that helps us adapt to our changed environment [Alert: controversial idea].

Not new or controversial. Everytime they come up with a new pesticide, some bugs survive. Those have developed a "resistance" to it guaranteeing a new generation of "immune" insects. Same goes for plagues and diseases. In fact one of the more insidious traits. The ability in the gene to develop an immunity. If that doesn't lend credence to design, nothing does.
Imagine, an error subroutine…

The "Guinea" outbreak looks like several, spread over hundreds and hundreds of miles - suspected cases have been reported in several areas and other countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Mali.

Thats scary. Another insidious thing about plague outbreaks, people in the Hot Zone flee and hide. They are wanted by authorities as potential carriers and the "hiders" hide because they don't want to be "quarantined" with others that already have the disease. Would you?

Death toll still rising? Sure sign this isn't over yet. They could be in the early stages of losing control of containment. The best indicator despite the cover stories will be the rising death toll.

You sound informed about it. Got any links?

reply to post by intrptr

You sound informed about it. Got any links?

Lots here: Ebola Epidemic Could Become Global Crisis,

and here: Ebola Airborne? Spreads From Pigs to Monkeys Without Contact


RE: Yes, Ebola has mutated since - in terms of evolution and epigenetic response to the environment, we need to integrate new mutations - it's a mechanism that helps us adapt to our changed environment [Alert: controversial idea].

Not new or controversial.

I mean we need to be infected to stay in harmony with our environment - infections being the mechanism of adaptation. ....Please link to published information about this idea, given your knowledge that it's neither new nor controversial.

This reminds me of Season 1 of The Walking Dead when they all arrived at the CDC and found out that everyone already has the "virus" within them.

reply to post by soficrow

I mean we need to be infected to stay in harmony with our environment - infections being the mechanism of adaptation.

Oh, I didn't know thats what you meant. I agree with that. That study would take a lifetime. I thought it was widely understood. Thats why we have immune insects and super flus, because of adaptation.

I could go linking to CDC and other sites about:

a)which strain of Ebola is it, this time? New or a comeback? Almost all the micro breaks have been different strains, so far.

b)what measures are being taken? that requires visiting the Hot Zone to see first hand and that is dangerous. Surely occurring, but the people involved are busy so we must rely on second hand sources. If the disease is breaking outside the original quarantine zone, they have in fact not established control, yet.

This is a critical phase.

I'm not going to dig. Its a waste of time, IMO, I have done this a lot here in various threads and theres a lot of other experts with misinformation and outright dis information.

The number one indicator of whether this is being contained or not is a graph of deaths over time. Right now thats still growing. Thats scary.

Until that graph begins to descend we are in dire straits.

Now somebody else say: "Oh its not that dangerous, it kills people 'too quickly', lol."

IamAbeliever
This reminds me of Season 1 of The Walking Dead when they all arrived at the CDC and found out that everyone already has the "virus" within them.

i don't think it was ever stated to be a virus. It was stated, "We're all infected." Infected with what? Prions? Viruses?

On topic....this is interesting. Viral infections can have multiple phases. A mutation of an ebola virus that allowed for a mild flu like phase could easily account for inclusion into our genetic makeup.

reply to post by IamAbeliever


this all reminds me of TWD too- unfortunately, it seems the series has and will not address the science/cause of the outbreak (the creators/writers have explicitly said as much boo!)

DNA restructuring due to viral exposure/infection and its effects on subsequent offspring is fascinating...
prions disease- like in "mad cow" disease- caused by cannibalsm.
-which brings me back to TWD- my theory- TERMINUS is where it all began- generations of cannibalism and inbreeding, caused a mutation in the DNA of one of their children, which reared it's ugly head when this 'subject zero' died, resurrected as a virus personified, and then started inserting its RNA into humanity.

Something very similar exists in other species- ie ants, caterpillars...

reply to post by ltinycdancerg

...prions disease- like in "mad cow" disease- caused by cannibalsm

Nonononono! Prions are an epigenetic mechanism that occur post-translation - they can (and often do) govern gene expression! Yes, they cause "mad cow" disease; no, they are not caused by cannibalism. Prions are in soil, water, air, and pretty much wherever proteins are found (bodies, tissues, cells, environment).

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

A mutation of an ebola virus that allowed for a mild flu like phase could easily account for inclusion into our genetic makeup.

40 million years ago suggests the inclusion occurred just after complex organisms started developing, and before our species emerged. Just part of our supraorganism make-up.

soficrow
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

A mutation of an ebola virus that allowed for a mild flu like phase could easily account for inclusion into our genetic makeup.

40 million years ago suggests the inclusion occurred just after complex organisms started developing, and before our species emerged. Just part of our supraorganism make-up.

I read it to be more like shortly after the extinction event in the Yucatan (40mil < 65mil), afffecting marmosets and other smallish mammalian forebears to us and some modern primates. In the wee early days of mammalian supremacy on Earth.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Duh. You're right. Don't know what I was thinking. (40 Billion?) Whatever. Thanks so much for correcting me. And especially for not being patronizing, mean or otherwise a dick about it.


....I do try to be rigorous here even though ATS is just a board, but confess I get a bit careless sometimes. Nice to have some back up.

That supposedly being the case, why no Ebola outbreaks before 1976 and why only in Africa?

Elliot
That supposedly being the case, why no Ebola outbreaks before 1976 and why only in Africa?

What "that"? ....Do you mean the evidence that Ebola is an ancient virus? Ie., If it's ancient, why no earlier [known and documented] outbreaks?


[confused]

reply to post by soficrow


During an ebola outbreak in the 90's, i was watching a show that suggested that ebola originates from soil or some other such environmental source where intermittent activity causes illness.

I don't know much about ebola. It makes you bleed out of your nipples, which sounds rather unpleasant.