The war within our DNA
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 11-2015 |
| Journal | Amsterdam Science |
| Volume | Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 13 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Organisations |
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| Abstract |
Throughout evolution, the human DNA has been invaded by multiple classes of ancient retroviruses. These viruses have become extinct long ago, but their DNA traces still linger in our genome, where they have given rise to what we now call retrotransposons. These virus-like genetic elements have maintained the ability to multiply and insert new copies of themselves into our DNA. New retrotransposon insertions can disrupt genes and cause disease, which forces us —the host genome—to come up with mechanisms to prevent these molecular jumping events. |
| Document type | Article |
| Language | English |
| Published at | https://issuu.com/amsterdamscience/docs/issue-2-scienceamsterdammagazine-de |
| Downloads |
our DNA
(Final published version)
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