Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Do viruses make us smarter?
Date:
January 12, 2015
Source:
Lund University
Summary:
Inherited viruses that are millions of years old play an important role in building up the complex networks that characterize the human brain, researchers say. They have found that retroviruses seem to play a central role in the basic functions of the brain, more specifically in the regulation of which genes are to be expressed, and when.
Retroviruses seem to play a central role in the basic functions of the brain, more specifically in the regulation of which genes are to be expressed, and when, researchers say.
Credit: © Sergey Bogdanov / Fotolia
A new study from Lund University in Sweden indicates that inherited viruses that are millions of years old play an important role in building up the complex networks that characterise the human brain.
Related Articles
Researchers have long been aware that endogenous retroviruses constitute around five per cent of our DNA. For many years, they were considered junk DNA of no real use, a side-effect of our evolutionary journey.
In the current study, Johan Jakobsson and his colleagues show that retroviruses seem to play a central role in the basic functions of the brain, more specifically in the regulation of which genes are to be expressed, and when. The findings indicate that, over the course of evolution, the viruses took an increasingly firm hold on the steering wheel in our cellular machinery. The reason the viruses are activated specifically in the brain is probably due to the fact that tumours cannot form in nerve cells, unlike in other tissues.
"We have been able to observe that these viruses are activated specifically in the brain cells and have an important regulatory role. We believe that the role of retroviruses can contribute to explaining why brain cells in particular are so dynamic and multifaceted in their function. It may also be the case that the viruses' more or less complex functions in various species can help us to understand why we are so different," says Johan Jakobsson, head of the research team for molecular neurogenetics at Lund University.
The article, based on studies of neural stem cells, shows that these cells use a particular molecular mechanism to control the activation processes of the retroviruses. The findings provide us with a complex insight into the innermost workings of the most basal functions of the nerve cells. At the same time, the results open up potential for new research paths concerning brain diseases linked to genetic factors.
"I believe that this can lead to new, exciting studies on the diseases of the brain. Currently, when we look for genetic factors linked to various diseases, we usually look for the genes we are familiar with, which make up a mere two per cent of the genome. Now we are opening up the possibility of looking at a much larger part of the genetic material which was previously considered unimportant. The image of the brain becomes more complex, but the area in which to search for errors linked to diseases with a genetic component, such as neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric illness and brain tumours, also increases."
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Lund University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
- Liana Fasching, Adamandia Kapopoulou, Rohit Sachdeva, Rebecca Petri, Marie E. Jönsson, Christian Männe, Priscilla Turelli, Patric Jern, Florence Cammas, Didier Trono, Johan Jakobsson. TRIM28 Represses Transcription of Endogenous Retroviruses in Neural Progenitor Cells. Cell Reports, 2015; 10 (1): 20 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.12.004
Cite This Page:
Share This
More From ScienceDaily
More Health & Medicine News
Monday, January 12, 2015
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Ancient Fossils Reveal Rise in Parasitic Infections Due to Climate Change
Jan. 12, 2015 — A paleobiologist has found indications of a greater risk of parasitic infection due to climate change in ancient mollusk fossils. His study of clams from the Holocene Epoch indicates that current sea ... full story
- Climate Change: Rise in Parasitic Infections
- BPA, and Also BPS, Affect Embryonic Brains
- Cancer-Fighting Mechanisms for Sulforaphane ID'd
- Autism Symptoms Often Missed in Brief Checkups
- Over-Treatment in Older Diabetes Patients
- More Clues to How Drug Reverses Common Illnesses
- New Target for Treating Brain Inflammation Found?
- New Strains of Parasites Identified
- Virtual Reality Brain Game Detects Alzheimer’s?
- Curcumin's Ability to Fight Alzheimer's Studied
newer top stories | older top stories
Breaking News:
Related Stories
Upending Conventional Wisdom, Certain Virus Families Are Ancient
Nov. 16, 2010 — Certain families of single-stranded DNA virus are more than 40 to 50 million years old, according to new research. The investigators found remnants of circoviruses and parvoviruses in the genomes of ... full story
Strange & Offbeat Stories
Health & Medicine
- iPhone Separation Linked to Physiological Anxiety, Poor Cognitive Performance
- More Sun Means Fewer Children, Grandchildren, Norwegian Study Finds
- Expressing Anger Linked With Better Health in Some Cultures
- Brain Imaging May Help Predict Future Behavior
- Too Much Gas, Too Little Food Appear Major Factors in Injury, Disease-Related Memory Loss
Mind & Brain
- Monkeys Can Learn to See Themselves in the Mirror
- Was Beethoven's Music Literally Heartfelt? Could a Cardiac Arrhythmia Have Influenced Famous Works by the Musical Great?
- Hey, Guys: Posting a Lot of Selfies Doesn't Send a Good Message
- The Biology of Fun and Playfulness
- Mind Over Matter: Can You Think Your Way to Strength?
Living & Well
- Weigh-in Once a Week or You'll Gain Weight
- When You Lose Weight, Where Does the Fat Go? Most of the Mass Is Breathed out as Carbon Dioxide, Study Shows
- Kids' Cartoon Characters Twice as Likely to Die as Counterparts in Films for Adults: Content on a Par With 'Rampant Horrors' of Popular Films
- Sharing That Crowded Holiday Flight With Countless Hitchhiking Dust Mites
- Is This the End of 'Fake Exemptions? ' It Is Possible to Detect When We Provide False Information Regarding Our Health Conditions Through Handwriting
In Other News
... from NewsDaily.com
Science News
- SpaceX cargo capsule reaches International Space Station
- Move over Nessie, Scotland gets a new prehistoric marine reptile
- SpaceX rocket nails launch but narrowly misses landing test
- Japan reorients space effort to bolster security, drive exports
- Know when to fold 'em: computer aces Texas hold 'em poker
Health News
- Colorado patient to be tested for Ebola: state health officials
- Replacement for BPA in plastics also suspect: study
- Cancer survivors plagued by lack of personal control
- ‘Braille Challenge’ sets high expectations for blind students
- U.S. insurers squeeze diabetes drug prices : Eli Lilly
Environment News
- Armed illegal loggers devastate Tanzania’s coastal forest
- Senate takes up Keystone XL bill as showdown with Obama looms
- New Jersey man sentenced for trafficking rare narwhal tusks
- Houston Channel reopens after fog shutdown: U.S. Coast Guard
- New French biodiesel limit could split EU fuels market: oil, car lobbies
Technology News
- GM open to working with Google on self-driving car technology
- Chipmaker AMD says three senior executives stepping down
- Accused Silk Road creator goes to trial amid U.S. scrutiny of bitcoin
- Sony CEO eyes options as pressure mounts on weak TV, mobile
- Bitcoin storage firm secures 'Big Four' financial accreditation
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered