Whoa, thats kind of interesting. How similar is that virus to the virus that Mikovits said she was studying?
Done reading PLAGUE by Dr. Judy Mikovits
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Whoa, thats kind of interesting. How similar is that virus to the virus that Mikovits said she was studying?
Aspergillus niger (strain CBS 513.88 / FGSC A1513) Similarity to hypothetical endogenous retrovirus W envelope protein - Homo sapiens
Very interesting. Thanks for posting that.
Antares in NYC
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Natasa and ukxmrv, could you guys explain the significance of this for those of us less versed in genetics?
Three years ago I did an environmental study at the apartment I lived for the last 8 years, as I found evidence of mold. The results came positive for very high levels of Aspergillus Penicillium and Aspergillus Niiger, plus some undetermined levels of voc. While the test was very high for these two mold strains, it was negative for toxic black mold.
I wonder if the exposure to these two types of mold for so many years could have something to do with my current health issues, or if only toxic black mold is known to be associated with CFS-like symptoms.
Thank you.
Sorry, can't, was hoping someone else could ( @anciendaze ?) Also what would 'hypothetical' RV/protein mean in this context?
Interesting re 'non-hypothetical'
HERV-W envelope protein
I have no idea what that page means, but if it's true there is a similarity, then you've just cracked the problem of neuro-immune disease. So let me be the first to congratulate you
A hypothetical protein is one that is predicted to exist by looking at what possible proteins a gene can produce (express), but which have never actually been seen. So we know the entire genome, but we haven't found every protein yet that our genes can make. I think over time, the majority of the ones predicted do tend to be found.Sorry, can't, was hoping someone else could ( @anciendaze ?) Also what would 'hypothetical' RV/protein mean in this context?
Interesting re 'non-hypothetical'
@Valentijn Maybe you can comment on the reliability of the link in question?
Uniprot is a very reliable source regarding proteins.
Basically, as you mentioned above, protein composition and shape can be predicted based on the genetic data. In the exons of a gene, every three letter combination forms a specific amino acid when that gene creates a protein (enzyme). That means that even if you don't know exactly where the gene or exons start or stop, each longer sequence of DNA can basically spell out up to three different options. So that's one way to guess at what is being created.
Another way is to look at the mysterious genetic sequences and search for them in huge databases. Then they can match the mysterious sequence to known sequences. And if a sequence is very similar, then the protein created should also be very similar. It sounds like this is the method which was used based on the info at the link, and is probably the easier method as well.
So the next step would be to locate the protein created by that gene, and take a closer look. This shouldn't be particularly difficult. Proteins are a lot bigger and easier to play with than DNA, and since they have a good idea of what the protein looks like, and the general location of it, it should be relatively easy to target it.
They might even be able to use existing methods to target the the very-similar enzyme which they found in a database. There could be cross-reactivity between the two, if it's not very specific to the already-known protein, or something used to react to the already known protein might be easily modified to react to the new protein instead.
The potential complication is that the protein seems to be located in the brain, if my scanning of the .pdf linked above is relevant. This usually prevents biopsies from living subjects, and death might make some proteins more difficult to find in deceased subjects, since the enzymes could degrade prior to a sample being taken.
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Countrygirl
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For those who are interested, this is a link to Judy's radio interview last night. The recording will be available within the next couple of days, I am told.
http://www.tlbtowncrier.com/hosts/leslie-carol-botha/
http://www.tlbtowncrier.com/hosts/leslie-carol-botha/
Hi Antares,
As I mentioned to you in this post, your case seems like a classic mold exposure problem.
Now you're saying you've actually found mold in your home, I think you should take it very seriously.
I'd be willing to bet you'd feel much better if you could move to a mold free environment.
Are you aware some PWC's make dramatic recoveries when they avoid mold? I know it sounds hard to believe.
But anyway in my opinion, no treatment has been as dramatic as mold avoidance. It's just not discussed much unfortunately. (Try searching through some of the posts by @slayadragon ).
@Antares in NYC--you are familiar with Erik Johnson right?
Antares in NYC
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Hi Cigana,
Let me explain in more detail my personal experience, so it would make more sense: I no longer live in that moldy apartment. As a matter of fact, it's going to be 1.5 years since I moved to a mold-free, brand new building, but my symptoms have not improved much. Actually the last year has been particularly bad for me.
I did live in that moldy apartment for about 8 years, and i strongly suspect that the previous apartment before that had mold as well (water damage, very old wood structure, typical New England --but did not conduct an actual environmental study). When I think about it, I believe my immune system received a massive triple punch within the span of a year. To note:
- I got Lyme,
- I moved to the first old and moldy building,
- and then I got a massive case of EBV mono that left me bed-ridden for quite a while and even hospitalized (my EBV titers are off the charts and persist to this day). My lymph nodes were so enlarged during that time that oncologists performed two lymph biopsies; the results came negative, fortunately.
I'm very interested in the mold angle as a potential trigger for ME/CFS, but I don't think it was the only thing that led me here. I find quite fascinating the potential theory of the HERV-W envelope protein as a major factor inducing our condition, and hope that someone looks into this further.
Perhaps we should make this conversation private so as not to derail this thread
I find that even in a new building in the same country, I am no better. I have to go to only very specific locations. This is very common - people who have become sensitized often need to practice "extreme" avoidance - that means taking no belongings with you, and never being near any other buildings. Often it means being in the desert. So, I would not want you to think that moving house means that you have reduced your exposure enough. (I know this is a real pain, but it's just what seems to be the case).
Then there's Brewer's theory, which is that mold has colonized inside you...
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Countrygirl
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Yes, I have read that Montagnier's recent interests have attracted a great deal of criticism, and, of course, any scientist who challenges the official line on autism and the safety of vaccines is cast into outer darkness. I am also aware, from years of reading about the history of vaccination from contemporary records dating back to the 1700s that vaccination has, at best been a mixed blessing. Thank goodness we do have some scientists who are prepared to break away from the herd, and risk their reputations to promote a safer vaccine programme. There are also some like Prof Hooper who claim that ME and autism are biochemically the same illness. There was one US clinician (can't recall his name) who when asked, why do children under two not develop ME, replied, 'They do: it is called autism'.
I think he is also in his 80s and needs to be cut some slack, perhaps.
Yes, I have read that Montagnier's recent interests have attracted a great deal of criticism, and, of course, any scientist who challenges the official line on autism and the safety of vaccines is cast into outer darkness. I am also aware, from years of reading about the history of vaccination from contemporary records dating back to the 1700s that vaccination has, at best been a mixed blessing. Thank goodness we do have some scientists who are prepared to break away from the herd, and risk their reputations to promote a safer vaccine programme. There are also some like Prof Hooper who claim that ME and autism are biochemically the same illness. There was one US clinician (can't recall his name) who when asked, why do children under two not develop ME, replied, 'They do: it is called autism'.
I think he is also in his 80s and needs to be cut some slack, perhaps.