Its targets, fortunately, are amoebae, but the researchers suggest that as Earth's ice melts, this could trigger the return of
other ancient viruses, with potential risks for human health.
Not exact matches
Dr Fineran says the system reflected the
ancient and continuing co-evolutionary arms race between bacteria on one side, and
viruses and plasmids on the
other.
Coffin says the discovery of NIRVs in mammals establishes that these and
other RNA
viruses are
ancient.
In the short term, the astrovirologists suggest that, among
other things, researchers need to find distinctive
virus biosignatures; consider
virus - detection experiments for Europa and Enceladus; and include
virus models in our models for
ancient oceans and
other planets.