Have cancer genes been transmitted from the origin of plants to humans?



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How does gene transfer between different species affect?

Cancer affects many people around the world today. Cancer is widespread and causes millions of deaths. The experts were now trying to find out where the cancer genes came from in humans. Researchers have discovered that gene transfer between plants and mammals dramatically alter mammalian genes.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide discovered in their current research that so-called cancer genes could be linked by gene transfer between plants. and mammals have evolved during evolution. These genes could be at the root of the causes of cancer in humans. The doctors published the results of their study in the English journal "Genome Biology".

Certain genes are involved in the development of cancer. Were these genes originally transferred from plants to mammals? (Image: Sergey Nivens / fotolia.com)

Gene transfer between animals and plants took place

In the world's largest study of so-called jumpers genes, researchers identified two specific gene jumpers in more than one gene. 759 animal and plant species. and species of fungi detected. These jumping genes are actually small fragments of DNA that can copy across a genome and are known as transposable elements. The experts were able to conclude that a transfer between plants and animals took place during the course of evolution.

The L1 and BovB elements have been closely examined

Scientists have been particularly interested in elements L1 and BovB considered foreign. The mammalian DNA has arrived. This is the first time that researchers have been able to demonstrate that the L1 important element for humans jumped between two species

What is horizontal gene transfer?

Jumping genes copy around genomes. and in the genomes of other species. The way they do this is not yet known, although insects such as ticks or mosquitoes or possibly viruses could be involved. Nevertheless, the process remains a mystery, says the author of the study, Professor David Adelson of the University of Adelaide. This process is called a horizontal transfer that differs from the normal parent-child transfer and has a huge impact on the evolution of mammals, the expert adds. For example, 25% of the genome of cows and sheep is derived from gene jumpers

Horizontal gene transfer is widespread

Imagine that genes jump as a type of parasite contained in DNA. This is not so serious, but worse is the fact that jumping genes penetrate into other genomes and disrupt genes. Horizontal gene transfer is far more widespread than previously thought. L1 human elements have been implicated in cancer and neurological disorders. The researchers say that understanding the heredity of this element is important to understand the evolution of the disease.

The entry of L1 into the mammalian genome was a key factor

The researchers found that L1 is found in plants and animals. L1 also occurs sporadically in fungi. However, the most surprising result is the absence of L1 in two major species of mammals, the Australian monotremes (platypus and echidna). This indicates that the gene has entered the evolutionary path of mammals after the aberration of monotremes. The entry of L1 into the mammalian genome was undoubtedly a key factor in the rapid evolution of mammals over the last 100 million years, suggests Professor Adelson, author of the report. study

. examined. BovB is a jumping gene much younger. It has already been shown that BovB can jump between a set of weird animals including reptiles, elephants and marsupials. Ticks are probably carriers of the BovB inter-species transfer. BovB has been transmitted at least twice between frogs and bats, experts say. Potential new transmitters are bed bugs, leeches and grbadhoppers.

More research is needed

The team believes that research on insect species will help find more evidence of inter-species transfer. They also aim to explore other jumping genes and explore the possibility of aquatic vectors such as sea worms and nematodes. Although recent studies have involved the badysis of genomes of more than 750 species, scientists themselves have only begun to scratch the surface of horizontal gene transfer. There is a lot more work to be done. (As)

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