Bird genomes contain ‘fossils’ of parasites that now infect humans

Posted by on April 21, 2016 12:52 pm
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Categories: Science

In rare instances, DNA is known to have jumped from one species to another. If a parasite’s DNA jumps to its host’s genome, it could leave evidence of that parasitic interaction that could be found millions of years later — a DNA ‘fossil’ of sorts. An international research team has discovered a new type of so-called transposable element that occurred in the genomes of certain birds and nematodes.

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