Jumping gene caught moving between species in first direct observation
Genes are not passed on exclusively from parents to their offspring.
Genetic inheritance isn't limited to parents and offspring. New research shows that some "jumping genes" can leap directly from one species to another, bypassing traditional hereditary routes.
The short version
- First direct observation of a jumping gene transferring between different species.
- The transfer occurred from a predatory bacterium to its prey.
- The gene moves as stable, circular RNA rather than via viruses or plasmids.
What happened
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology observed a self-splicing intron moving from the predatory bacterium Candidatus Velamenicoccus archaeovorus into the cells of its prey, Methanothrix soehngenii. By using specialized nucleic acid probes, researchers detected the intron RNA in both the predator and the dead cells of the prey. This provides the first direct evidence of a plasmid- and virus-independent route for interspecies gene transfer.
Why it matters
Jumping genes act as genetic parasites that can grant cells new properties, effectively accelerating evolution. Furthermore, the discovery that these genes persist as circular RNA is significant; in humans, circular RNA influences metabolic processes and tumor development, and is currently being researched for use in cancer and COVID-19 vaccines.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Phys.org via the links above and below.