Millions of years of immunodeficiency

The "great-grandfather" of the HIV virus appeared among primates 12 million years ago

RIA NewsHIV-like viruses first appeared among African primates already 12 million years ago, which indicates several million years of a genetic "arms race" between monkeys and similar retroviruses, virologists say in an article published in the journal PLoS Pathogens (Convergence and Divergence in the Evolution of the APOBEC3G-Vif Interaction Reveal Ancient Origins of Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses – VM).

"Having studied the history of the evolution of viruses and primates, we discovered a previously unknown, but very ancient and still ongoing genetic "conflict" between monkeys and viruses. Over 40 species of monkeys suffer from HIV-related virus infections. Since some of them can potentially be contagious to humans, we need to understand how they arose and develop," said Michael Emerman, one of the authors of the article from the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle (USA).

Emerman and his colleague Alex Compton from the University of Washington in Seattle (USA) came to this conclusion by comparing the genomes of several species of retroviruses and their victims – primates from the family of monkeys (Cercopithecidae). The authors of the article were interested in two special sites in the genomes of viruses and monkeys – the A3G retrovirus protection gene and the Vif site suppressing its work in the genome of immunodeficiency viruses.

By comparing the genomes of over 40 species of monkeys and related viruses, the scientists identified differences in the structure of the A3G and Vif genes and used these data to create a map of "genetic evolution". It turned out that changes in the structure of these DNA sites of primates and viruses occurred almost in parallel, which indicates a direct link between the evolution of retroviruses and animals.

According to scientists, the "war" between the virus and the primate ancestors began at least 5-6 million years ago, judging by the number of small mutations in the genomes of different types of retroviruses. Judging by some differences in the structure of the A3G gene in different monkeys, this genetic "conflict" began already 12 million years ago. The long history of the evolution of viruses related to HIV suggests an underestimation of the threat these pathogens pose to humanity, the authors conclude.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru28.01.2013