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A new study, recently published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, concluded that the human papillomavirus (HPV), responsible for cervical cancer, has evolved alongside the ancestors of modern humans for more than 500,000 years . The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong (China) and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States, also revealed that the virus had split into two branches at the same time as the Homo sapiens and Neanderthals crossed about 80,000 years ago.
"Understanding the evolution of the human papillomavirus (HPV) should provide us with important biological information and suggest new mechanisms by which the human papillomavirus causes uterine cervix cancer," says the report. from this study led by Zigui Chen and Robert Burk.
Human papillomaviruses are a group of microbes, of which 200 are known to date, 40 of which infect the bads of both bades. These spread by badual contact and, although most people eliminate these infections in a few years, in some cases, the viruses increase the risk of cervical cancer. In addition, HPV can also trigger oral cancer, vulvar cancer and penile cancer.
Modern humans inherited human papillomavirus or Neanderthal HPV
The researchers studied the genome of the most common and deadly human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16), as well as several papillomaviruses found in non-human primates. In both cases, thanks to so-called "molecular clock" techniques, scientists have tried to reproduce the evolution of these viruses.
According to the study, the human papillomavirus followed "very early an intrahote divergence pattern, followed by a co-evolution virus-host". This has also occurred with other human viruses, such as some retroviruses. In addition, scientists have discovered that the presence of a subtype of HPV16 in Asia could indicate that Neanderthals have transmitted this virus to modern humans during crossover episodes that occurred a long time ago. about 80,000 years old.
"This notion of viral badual transmission between groups of hominins is reflected in the recent genetic mix (…), proving that 2 to 4% of Eurasian nuclear DNA can be found in Neanderthals", indicates the study.
With over seven years of experience in online journalism, Vadim is pbadionate about everything related to science and the environment. For us, it will cover, among other things, news on the climate, the environment and science.
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