Book- Virolution intresting quote

[flybro]

'Perhaps most amazingly of all, this creative role in human evolution and disease has been played by viruses with a very close resemblance to HIV-1.'

taken from Virolution by Frank Ryan

Considering the XMRV finding I thought this was a WOW statement.

 

[Kati]

Flybro, I am not sure I understand, could you please explain??? Thanks

 

[flybro]

The evolutionary adaptations that have occcured, are due to viruses that are very similar to HIV.

So something similar to HIV, that can rwrite itself into our genes, and then be passed on through the generations creating evoltionary changes.

Sounds like a description of XMRV to me.

 

[muffin]

I think the changes to our genes can occur from many things including esp. viruses and not just XMRV. I always found it odd that my grandparents were the only people NOT sick during the 1918 Pandemic. They were a nurse and a doctor and took care of others in the hospital and neither grandparent got sick. Then both grandparents and my father worked with TB people closely. I have wondered if THEIR immunity to the 1918 flu and TB might have played into MY CFIDS. Possibly their DNA/RNA was affected (damaged, or whatever) and that got imprinted into MY genes. Who knows. Interesting though.

 

[thefreeprisoner]

That really is a WOW statement. Made me think a lot.
Thanks for posting it.
I have always wondered how and why evolution works, as purely random mutations don't seem to be a very good explanation for the speed and accuracy of the way creatures evolve.