In tomorrow’s New York Times, I dig up some of the fossil viruses that have been buried in our genome for tens of millions of years.
This is a subject I’ve explored here on the Loom before (1, 2), but now is a great time to stop and take stock of just how much progress scientists have made in exhuming the ancient invaders that helped make us what we are.
There was one dimension of this research that I didn’t have space to describe, but it’s too cool to let go unmentioned. In the article, I describe a virus protein called syncitin that is essential for placentas to develop. Cells push the protein to their surface, where it lets them latch onto other cells, fusing together to create a special layer through which nutrients can pass from mother to child. The protein got its start on viruses, which use it to latch onto host cells and fuse to them, allowing their genes to slip in.
But recent research has revealed an intriguing new twist to our viral legacy. It turns out that the viral surface protein in question has a second job. It also tamps down the immune system of its host. If the protein is altered to make it unable to suppress the immune response, viruses cannot successfully infect their hosts.
Thierry Heidmann, a leading paleovirologist whom I spoke to for the article, suspects that this second function may have been critical in the evolution of the placenta. That’s because there are two major challenges to being a placental mammal. First off, mothers need to be able supply their embryos with lots of nutrition for a long time through their circulatory system. Second, they have to cool down their immune systems. A baby’s tissues would otherwise look to the mother’s immune system like foreign tissue and be quickly rejected. So it’s possible that viruses not only let mothers feed their babies, but not kill them either.
This is a story that’s just going to get cooler, so expect updates as necessary.
Go Further
Animals
- Behind the scenes at America’s biggest birding festivalBehind the scenes at America’s biggest birding festival
- How scientists are piecing together a sperm whale ‘alphabet’How scientists are piecing together a sperm whale ‘alphabet’
- Orangutan seen using plants to heal wound for first timeOrangutan seen using plants to heal wound for first time
- What La Palma's 'lava tubes' tell us about life on other planetsWhat La Palma's 'lava tubes' tell us about life on other planets
Environment
- The northernmost flower living at the top of the worldThe northernmost flower living at the top of the world
- This beautiful floating flower is wreaking havoc on NigeriaThis beautiful floating flower is wreaking havoc on Nigeria
- What the Aral Sea might teach us about life after disasterWhat the Aral Sea might teach us about life after disaster
- What La Palma's 'lava tubes' tell us about life on other planetsWhat La Palma's 'lava tubes' tell us about life on other planets
- How fungi form ‘fairy rings’ and inspire superstitionsHow fungi form ‘fairy rings’ and inspire superstitions
History & Culture
- This thriving society vanished into thin air. What happened?This thriving society vanished into thin air. What happened?
- These were the real rules of courtship in the ‘Bridgerton’ eraThese were the real rules of courtship in the ‘Bridgerton’ era
Science
- Is the 5-second rule true? Science finally has an answer.
- Science
- Gory Details
Is the 5-second rule true? Science finally has an answer. - E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?
- Why trigger points cause so much pain—and how you can relieve itWhy trigger points cause so much pain—and how you can relieve it
Travel
- The best LGBTQ-friendly destinations for every travelerThe best LGBTQ-friendly destinations for every traveler
- 6 of the best active pursuits on Cape Cod and the Islands
- Paid Content
6 of the best active pursuits on Cape Cod and the Islands - The key to better mindfulness may be your public gardenThe key to better mindfulness may be your public garden