Wise Young
11-24-2006, 03:36 PM
A recent paper in Genome Biology suggested that koala bears may be in danger of extinction, not necessarily from habitat destruction which nearly drove them into extinction about a hundred years ago (Source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala)), but from a retrovirus infection. According to an article by Tarlinton, et al. (2005) in the Journal of General Virology (Source (http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/86/3/783)), the Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) inserts a full length replication competent into cells in koalas and that this leads to leukemia and lymphoma in the animals. It also seems to increase koala susceptibility to chlamydiosis and contributes to blindness, infertility, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia in the koalas (Source (http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au/research/koalas.html)). The retrovirus is similar to the feline leukemia virus in cats. However, the virus incorporates itself into the koalas and is transmitted to offsprings (Source (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1680261.htm))
This way for a virus to spread is alarming. It is neither new nor restricted to koalas. There are many examples of viral genes that are incorporated into our genomes.
http://genomebiology.com/2006/7/11/241/abstract
Minireview
Koala retrovirus: a genome invasion in real time
Jonathan P Stoye
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
Genome Biology 2006, 7:241 doi:10.1186/gb-2006-7-11-241
Published 21 November 2006
Subject areas: Evolution, Virology
Abstract
Koalas are currently undergoing a wave of germline infections by the retrovirus KoRV. Study of this phenomenon not only provides an opportunity for understanding the processes regulating retrovirus endogenization but may also be essential to preventing the extinction of the species.
This way for a virus to spread is alarming. It is neither new nor restricted to koalas. There are many examples of viral genes that are incorporated into our genomes.
http://genomebiology.com/2006/7/11/241/abstract
Minireview
Koala retrovirus: a genome invasion in real time
Jonathan P Stoye
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
Genome Biology 2006, 7:241 doi:10.1186/gb-2006-7-11-241
Published 21 November 2006
Subject areas: Evolution, Virology
Abstract
Koalas are currently undergoing a wave of germline infections by the retrovirus KoRV. Study of this phenomenon not only provides an opportunity for understanding the processes regulating retrovirus endogenization but may also be essential to preventing the extinction of the species.