{"id":919979,"date":"2026-10-08T00:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T00:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/919979\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T00:00:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T00:00:10","slug":"dna-from-a-human-brain-gene-has-turned-up-in-a-virus-sciencealert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/919979\/","title":{"rendered":"DNA From a Human Brain Gene Has Turned Up In a Virus : ScienceAlert"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some pieces of our DNA can copy themselves into new locations. Copies derived from one gene active in human brain cells appear to have taken that journey further: into a virus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Researchers found two such sequences, derived from a gene called BC200, inside molluscum contagiosum virus, which infects our skin and causes\u00a0small, raised lesions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The discovery reveals an unusual genetic double life. BC200 acquired a cellular role millions of years ago, yet retained the ability to produce copies that insert themselves elsewhere.<\/p>\n

A study published in <\/a>Science<\/a> suggests this movement has continued throughout primate evolution, contributed to differences among human genomes, and carried BC200-derived sequences across the boundary between humans and a virus.<\/p>\n

But the virus didn’t simply take a gene from a brain cell, and nothing suggests it gained anything resembling brain function. What these sequences actually do inside the virus is still unknown.<\/p>\n

BC200 works differently from most genes: it skips the step of coding for a protein altogether, producing a short RNA molecule instead \u2013 one that’s especially abundant in neurons.<\/p>\n

Laboratory experiments suggest this RNA helps regulate protein production. Its precise physiological role, however, remains poorly understood.<\/p>\n

A gene being especially active in one tissue does not mean its DNA exists only there. Most cells with a nucleus carry essentially the same genetic information. What differs is which genes they use, and how much.<\/p>\n

Calling BC200 a “brain gene” describes its activity in neurons.<\/p>\n

Its origins lie in a transposable element, one of the mobile DNA sequences often called “jumping genes”. Some make copies of themselves that enter new locations while the original stays put.<\/p>\n

A predecessor of BC200 became established in a common ancestor of monkeys and apes roughly 35 to 55 million years ago. Around 40 million years ago, it was recruited for a cellular role, apparently in regulating protein production in neurons.<\/p>\n

Such recruitment typically accompanies a loss of mobility. BC200 appears to have retained both abilities.<\/p>\n

“Somehow evolution hasn’t been able to untangle these two things,” Cedric Feschotte, in Cornell University’s Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, says in a\u00a0university statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Scientists(Kateryna Kon\/Science Photo Library\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The team, including researchers at Capital Normal University in China and the University of Texas at Arlington, screened available poxvirus genomes for sequences resembling mobile genetic elements.<\/p>\n

Two BC200-derived sequences stood out in molluscum contagiosum virus. One covered the human gene’s entire Alu-derived domain, a region inherited from its mobile ancestor. The other was shorter and incomplete at both ends.<\/p>\n

So what turned up in the virus are fragments derived from BC200 \u2013 not a complete, intact copy of the gene itself.<\/p>\n

Several clues pointed to a human origin. BC200 occurs in humans and related primates, while molluscum contagiosum virus is only known to infect humans in nature.<\/p>\n

The researchers found no corresponding elements in other poxvirus genomes they examined, including a closely related virus infecting horses.<\/p>\n

The analysis pointed to two separate transfer events, not a single insertion that later duplicated itself inside the virus.<\/p>\n

The likely mechanism involves LINE-1, another mobile genetic element capable of producing the molecular machinery to copy RNA into DNA and insert it into a genome.<\/p>\n

BC200 has no transport machinery of its own, so it hitches a ride on LINE-1’s \u2013 borrowing another element’s equipment to make the jump.<\/p>\n

Genetic signatures surrounding the viral insertion supported this explanation. However, the team reconstructed the transfer from DNA evidence, rather than watching it happen.<\/p>\n

Although BC200 RNA is abundant in neurons, it is also expressed at low levels in skin. The researchers found increased BC200 expression in cultured human fibroblasts infected with the virus.<\/p>\n

That suggests infection might help create conditions for transfer, without directly establishing where the historical events occurred.<\/p>\n

The team then examined sequencing data from 908 people, identifying eight BC200-derived insertions that varied among individuals.<\/p>\n

Two were widespread across five continental population groups, suggesting ancient origins. Another was largely restricted to African individuals. The remaining five were rarer: one occurred in just two people, while four were each detected in a single individual.<\/p>\n

These rare insertions suggest very recent activity. Being detected in one person, however, does not establish that an insertion arose during that person’s lifetime.<\/p>\n

Across anthropoid primates, the researchers also identified hundreds of lineage-specific insertions, placing the viral discovery within millions of years of continued movement.<\/p>\n

Whether the virus benefits remains uncertain. The team found evidence that its BC200-derived sequences are transcribed into RNA. Such RNA might help manipulate protein production in infected cells, but that possibility still needs testing.<\/p>\n

The study does not demonstrate that the virus has become more dangerous. Instead, it shows that acquiring a cellular function need not end a genetic element’s mobility.<\/p>\n

BC200’s combination of function and movement makes the boundary between genes and jumping DNA appear more flexible than expected.<\/p>\n

The research has been published in Science<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article was fact-checked by Fiona MacDonald<\/a> and edited by Fiona MacDonald<\/a>. While we pride ourselves on our process, we are only human. If you spot a mistake, please let us know<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some pieces of our DNA can copy themselves into new locations. Copies derived from one gene active in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":919980,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[64,63,2967,128],"class_list":["post-919979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-msft-content","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=919979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/919980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=919979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=919979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=919979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}