How the Heck Did Black Widow Spider DNA Get Inside a Virus?

Just when you thought there were enough reasons to hate spiders and viruses comes the report from LiveScience. www.livescience.com...

Seth Bordenstein found some toxic DNA lurking inside a virus that infects bacteria. In addition to its own genes, the virus holds a gene for black widow spider venom and DNA from other animals, the researchers found.
Dr. Bordenstein, a microbiologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, found that the phage (not related to the ATS Phage) WO, which infects the bacterium Wolbachia, contains a number of genes similar to some seen in eukaryotes. One of the genes, the second largest seen in phages, has previously been seen in eukaryotes and bacteria fused together. This combination gene includes DNA that was found previously in prior work to help create black widow spider venom. How this phage uses these recently discovered genes remains unknown, however, it is speculated that phage break into animal cells or evade animal immune systems to reach and infect their bacterial hosts.
Sounds like someone or something has been involved in gene modification.

a reply to: Violater1

Probably the same way ticks were infused with Lymes disease...

Plum Island, Fort Deitrich, really anywhere that insane scientists create horrific diseases in the name of "defense"!

a reply to: Violater1

I saw this story earlier and thought it was pretty cool too.

a reply to: elementalgrove

No, this was all Big Mama Nature. It explains how this occurs very simply in the OP if you had bothered to read it.

In addition to its own genes, the virus holds a gene for black widow spider venom and DNA from other animals, the researchers found.

The virus DNA has a part of a gene which produces spider venom. It does not have DNA from other animals, it has parts of genes from animals in its DNA.

This combination gene includes DNA that was found previously in prior work to help create black widow spider venom.

DNA is made up of genes. There is no such thing as a gene which includes DNA.

Viruses incorporate various foreign genes in their DNA, that's why they are able to do what they do.

This source explains it more clearly and less inaccurately. The guy who wrote the article in the OP is lacking in some basic understanding. In particular the difference between genes and DNA.
www.washingtonpost.com...

a reply to: Violater1

Some tell ATS Phage to sue them for copyright infringement.

originally posted by: watchitburn


No, this was all Big Mama Nature. It explains how this occurs very simply in the OP if you had bothered to read it.

Yes yes, the virus simply stole it from the spider!

I mean they have messed with this...breeding goats that produce spider silk!.

They would never mess with the venomous part of the spiders DNA... right?

a reply to: elementalgrove

Or maybe another experiment gone wrong in the elites endless attempt at thinly veiled depopulation acheme.

a reply to: odzeandennz

No, just another attempt to turn everything into a evil American depopulation plot....

The really interestg thing is that this virus seems to infect spider and bacteria. A fairly novel little bugger.

How did Black Widow spider DNA get inside of a virus?

No one can resist the music of Barry White.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: odzeandennz

No, just another attempt to turn everything into a evil American depopulation plot....

Nah Chadwickus...

We are healthier, happier and in a more harmonious balance with nature then we ever have been, the .01% have used their wealth for the benefit of us all!

Viruses do stuff like this. Go google viral recombination and viral reassortment.

In particular, you get two different viruses infecting a cell simultaneously, they swap goodies like mad.

a reply to: Phage

Maybe he did mean genoom ?

a reply to: Phage

Phage,do you have real knowledge or just lots of link kung fu? Cause my internet connection is was slower than yours. Not being a smart prick,just curious of your concrete knowledge.

a reply to: Violater1

Right I have gone over this in the past on other thread's, the spider's gene was passed to the virus (which infect's bacteria not the insect or arachnid itself) probably after another virus infected both the host and the bacteria then transferred through natural genetic replication error's this partial strand of the host DNA to the bacteria it was also infecting probably failing to replicate but becoming a dormant part of the bacterial DNA, then this Virus which then infected the bacteria with the altered genetic code picked up this strand in it's own replication.

It also you may note argues that simply because two species have similar genetic material it does not necessarily mean they have a common ancestor?, especially if they have lived in close proximity for a long time and there are pathogenic virus and bacteria that infect both species, human's and primate's, human's and pig's etc.

a reply to: Violater1

Gene splicing via genetic engineering.

Same way Australian goats where made to lactate spider silk.

originally posted by: elementalgrove
Yes yes, the virus simply stole it from the spider!

Yes it is entirely possible for that to happen. You need to study molecular biology, specifically of viruses to understand how but there is nothing especially surprising about this.

a reply to: Violater1

Uh huh.

Future research could find that such swapping across domains of life, from the most complex to the most ancient, is more common than previously thought, scientists say.

Sure.

Actually - it really is far more common than previously thought. There are natural mechanisms that make it possible. And those mechanisms have been reversed engineered and now are commonly used....





Great find btw. S&F&