30,000 Year Old Giant Virus Found
Summary: A 30,000 year old giant virus was dug up by scientists in thawing permafrost in a remote area of Siberia. It has been named Pithovirus sibericum, this ancient virus is harmless to humans and instead attacks amoebas. Because the virus is still capable of killing organisms and was discovered in thawing permafrost, the scientists who found the virus warn that this could be a danger to human health in the future. This is because this virus shows that other viruses from past global epidemics that were thought to have been eradicated, like smallpox which reproduces similarly to the Pithovirus may be able to survive in places like permafrost for years and then reemerge later on, causing more possible global epidemics in the future. The discovery of this ancient virus shows how little we humans know about the biodiversity of microorganisms, especially in exploring new environments. The discovery of the Pithovirus sibericum has also shown the existence of three families of giant viruses.
Connection: This article relates to the microbes unit, particularly viruses and their impact on organisms. Although this virus does not attack human cells, it is still capable of entering amoeba cells, multiplying, and ultimately killing the amoeba even after being in dormancy for about 30,000 years. This ancient virus also shows that other viruses that were once thought to have been eradicated are capable of going into dormancy, then reemerging in the future and infecting organisms once more. This means viral diseases like smallpox, which reproduces very similarly to the Pithovirus, may be able to reemerge and once again spread through the human population. This articles relates to viruses and how they are able to survive so they can continue to go through reproduction in the future.
Author: Jethro Mullen
Date of Publication: March 6, 2014
URL: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/05/world/europe/siberia-giant-virus-discovered/
How were scientists able to determine that the virus was 30,000 years old?
ReplyDeleteHow/where was these virus located? Even though it came from Siberia, viruses are parasites that need a host to survive. Also, you are unable to see them without magnification. Therefore, how did they find the virus?
ReplyDeleteThe virus was found frozen in the thawing permafrost of Siberia, the scientists who found the virus were taking samples and testing the soil. And because the virus is a giant virus it can be measured under a microscope and is about 1.5 micrometers. The virus was found frozen, however once it thawed scientists placed amoebas into the virus sample and the viruses became infectious once again. I am not exactly sure how they were able to determine the age of the virus, but the scientists must have a special technique involving possibly the genome of the virus and comparing that genome to other genomes on a phylogeny and possibly dating the virus that way based on other viruses.
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