The pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (shown above) mayunder certain conditionsintegrate its genetic material into human cells, confounding COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
By Jon CohenDec. 16, 2020 , 6:30 PM
Sciences COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Pulitzer Center and the Heising-Simons Foundation.
People who recover from COVID-19 sometimes later test positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting their immune systems could not ward off a second attack by the coronavirus or that they have a lingering infection. A study now hints at a different explanation in which the virus hides in an unexpected place. The work, only reported in a preprint, suggests the pandemic pathogen takes a page from HIV and other retroviruses and integrates its genetic codebut, importantly, just parts of itinto peoples chromosomes. The phenomenon, if true and frequent, could have profound implications that range from false signals of active infection to misleading results from COVID-19 treatment studies.
The current study only showed this integration in a lab dish, although it also cites published sequence data from humans infected with SARS-CoV-2that suggest it has happened. The authors emphasize that their results dont imply that SARS-CoV-2 establishes permanent genetic residence in human cells to keep pumping out new copies, as HIV does.
Other scientists are divided about the importance of the new work and its relevance to human health, and some are harshly critical. There are open questions that well have to address, saysmolecular biologist Rudolf Jaenisch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who led the work.
Yet a few veteran retrovirologists are fascinated. This is a very interesting molecular analysis and speculation with supportive data provided, says Robert Gallo, who heads the Institute of Human Virology and looked at the newly posted preprint at Sciences request. I do not think it is a complete story to be certain but as is, I like it and my guess is it will be right.
All viruses insert their genetic material into the cells they infect, but it generally remains separate from the cells own DNA. Jaenischs team, intrigued by reports of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 after recovering, wondered whether these puzzling results reflected something of an artifact from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, which detects specific virus sequences in biological samples such as nasal swabs, even if they are fragmented and cant produce new viruses. Why do we have this positivity, which is now seen all over the place, long after the active infection has disappeared? says Jaenisch, who collaborated with the lab of MITs Richard Young.
To test whether SARS-CoV-2s RNA genome could integrate into the DNA of our chromosomes, the researchers added the gene for reverse transcriptase (RT), an enzyme that converts RNA into DNA, to human cells and cultured the engineered cells with SARS-CoV-2. In one experiment, the researchers used an RT gene from HIV. They also provided RT using human DNA sequences known as LINE-1 elements, which are remnants of ancient retroviral infections and make up about 17% of the human genome. Cells making either form of the enzyme led to some chunks of SARS-CoV-2 RNA being converted to DNA and integrated into human chromosomes, the team reports in their preprint, posted on bioRxiv on 13 December.
If the LINE-1 sequences naturally make RT in human cells, SARS-CoV-2 integration might happen in people who have COVID-19. This could occur in people coinfected with SARS-CoV-2 and HIV, too. Either situation may explain PCR detecting lingering traces of coronavirus genetic material in people who no longer have a true infection. And it could confuse studies of COVID-19 treatments that rely on PCR tests to indirectly measure changes in the amount of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in the body.
David Baltimore, a virologist at the California Institute of Technology who won the Nobel Prize for his role in discovering RT, describes the new work as impressive and the findings as unexpected but he notes that Jaenisch and colleagues only show that fragments of SARS-CoV-2s genome integrate. Because it is all pieces of the coronaviral genome, it cant lead to infectious RNA or DNA and therefore it is probably biologically a dead end, Baltimore says. It is also not clear if, in people, the cells that harbor the reverse transcripts stay around for a long time or they die. The work raises a lot of interesting questions.
Virologist Melanie Ott, who studies HIV at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, says the findings are pretty provocative but need thorough follow-up and confirmation. I have no doubt that reverse transcription can happen in vitro with optimized conditions, Ott says. But she notes that SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication takes place in specialized compartments in the cytoplasm. Whether it happens in infected cells and leads to significant integration in the cell nucleus is another question.
Retrovirologist John Coffin of Tufts University calls the new work believable, noting that solid evidence shows that LINE-1 RT can allow viral material to integrate in people, but hes not yet convinced. The evidence of SARS-CoV-2 sequences in people, Coffin says, should be more solid, and the in vitro experiments conducted by Jaenischs team lack controls he would have liked to have seen. All in all, I doubt that the phenomenon has much biological relevance, despite the authors speculation, Coffin says.
Zandrea Ambrose, a retrovirologist at the University of Pittsburgh, adds that this kind of integration would be extremely rare if it does indeed happen. She notes that LINE-1 elements in the human genome rarely are active. It is not clear what the activity would be in different primary cell types that are infected by SARS-CoV-2, she says.
One particularly harsh Twitter critic, a postdoctoral researcher in a lab that specializes in retroviruses, went so far as to call the preprints conclusions a strong, dangerous, and largely unsupported claim. Jaenisch emphasizes that the paper clearly states the integration the authors think happens could not lead to the production of infectious SARS-CoV-2. Lets assume that we can really resolve these criticisms fully, which Im trying to do, Jaenisch says. This might be something not to worry about.
View original post here:
The coronavirus may sometimes slip its genetic material into human chromosomesbut what does that mean? - Science Magazine
- Mating Study Unlocks the Genetic Code of Attraction - Neuroscience News - March 18th, 2024
- Mindfulness in your DNA? Capacity to be present is partly a function of genetics, study finds - PsyPost - March 18th, 2024
- Genetic testing scam targets Medicare recipients, including those in Spokane - KXLY Spokane - March 18th, 2024
- Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight. These 5 tips can help - CNN - March 18th, 2024
- SOPHiA GENETICS and The French Kidney Cancer Research Network (UroCCR) Publish Results from Multiyear ... - PR Newswire - March 18th, 2024
- Tissue samples show the deep genetic and cellular impacts of smoking - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- The regulatory landscape of chromatin accessibility - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Genome assemblies of 11 bamboo species highlight diversification induced by dynamic subgenome dominance - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Research reveals the genetic code behind non-identical twins - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- How genetic therapies transformed the lives of sickle cell patients - KPVI News 6 - March 18th, 2024
- The Next Wave of Privacy Litigation: The Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act - Perkins Coie - March 18th, 2024
- State initiates study on genetic cancers, Lynch Syndrome - The Times of India - March 18th, 2024
- How genetic therapies transformed the lives of sickle cell patients - Citizentribune - March 18th, 2024
- Dr Plichta on Areas of Interest for Genetic Testing Research in Breast Cancer - OncLive - March 18th, 2024
- The Genetic History of the Jews Mosaic - Mosaic - March 18th, 2024
- New insights into genetic mechanisms could improve treatment of liver fibrosis - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- 5 Questions To Ask About The Ethics Of Genetic Data - Forbes - March 18th, 2024
- Couple raising money to fix sons club feet caused by rare genetic condition - 21 Alive News - February 18th, 2024
- What can bulls tell us about men? Genetic discovery could translate to human fertility research - Medical Xpress - February 18th, 2024
- Legislation seeks to bar life insurance companies from purchasing recreational genetic testing data - Delaware First Media - February 18th, 2024
- Family-based study identifies potential new genetic factors linked to Alzheimer's risk in people with African ancestry - National Institute on Aging - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic determinants of micronucleus formation in vivo - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Near-gapless and haplotype-resolved apple genomes provide insights into the genetic basis of rootstock-induced ... - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Accurate and sensitive mutational signature analysis with MuSiCal - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- CRISPR, the Genetic Revolution of the 21st Century | OpenMind - BBVA OpenMind - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic control of thermomorphogenesis in tomato inflorescences - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Natural selection and genetic diversity maintenance in a parasitic wasp during continuous biological control application - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Understanding how natural genetic variation contributes to adaptive responses to low oxygen - News-Medical.Net - February 18th, 2024
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics - Epidemiology and Genetics - University of Southern California - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic study clarifies the link between birth weight and adult morbidity - Medical Xpress - February 18th, 2024
- AI and genetics underpin project to speed up CVD diagnosis and personalise treatment - Hospital Healthcare - February 18th, 2024
- Study Reveals Complex Interaction Between Genetics and Environment in Brain Functioning - Medriva - February 18th, 2024
- Unraveling the Impact of Genetics and Socioeconomic Status on Behavioral and Psychiatric Traits - Medriva - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic Investigation Reveals CETP Gene Variants Linked to Cardiovascular Resilience in Genome-Wide Association ... - Physician's Weekly - December 30th, 2023
- Raha Kapoor's blue eyes remind fans of her great-grandfather, Raj Kapoor; here's what genetics says - IndiaTimes - December 30th, 2023
- Genetic clue to pericarditis inflammation points to promising new treatments - News-Medical.Net - December 30th, 2023
- Certain genetic predispositions may increase risk of atrial fibrillation among those with high alcohol consumption - 2 Minute Medicine - December 30th, 2023
- Understanding the genetic basis of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer - News-Medical.Net - December 30th, 2023
- Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake. - The Washington Post - December 30th, 2023
- Unraveling the mystery of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer - EurekAlert - December 30th, 2023
- What is Genetics? | AMNH - American Museum of Natural History - December 22nd, 2023
- Who killed Shelley Connolly? Genetic genealogy leads authorities to a suspect and a conviction - Alaska's News Source - December 22nd, 2023
- C.S. Lewis, Atheism, and the Genetic Fallacy - Word on Fire - December 22nd, 2023
- FDA approves first genetic test to assess opioid addiction risk using DNA sample - Fox News - December 22nd, 2023
- Genetic blueprint of wild grapes could help breed better grapes - University of California, Davis - December 22nd, 2023
- Unlocking the genetic secrets of grape seedlessness - Phys.org - December 22nd, 2023
- Unlocking the genetic secrets of drought resilience in Persian walnuts - Phys.org - December 22nd, 2023
- FDA approves genetic test to assess patients risk of developing an opioid addiction - KXAN.com - December 22nd, 2023
- How researchers are CReATiNG synthetic chromosomes faster and cheaper - EurekAlert - December 22nd, 2023
- The promise of genetic therapies in sickle cell disease - The Lancet - December 22nd, 2023
- Assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation in the Eastern Romanian Carpathian ... - Nature.com - December 22nd, 2023
- Genetics and Heart Disease: What you need to know - IndiaTimes - December 22nd, 2023
- How to become a geneticist - University of Sydney - December 22nd, 2023
- Study sheds light on the ancestry and genetics of Coast Salish woolly dogs | News | Vancouver Island University ... - Vancouver Island University News - December 22nd, 2023
- Human genetics | Description, Chromosomes, & Inheritance - December 13th, 2023
- BASIC GENETICS INFORMATION - Understanding Genetics - NCBI Bookshelf - December 13th, 2023
- Introduction to Genetics - Open Textbook Library - December 13th, 2023
- Clues to preventing Alzheimer's come from patient who, despite genetics, evaded disease Washington University ... - Washington University School of... - December 13th, 2023
- Environmental stress rather than genetics influenced height differences in early Neolithic people: Study - Phys.org - December 13th, 2023
- What is trisomy 18? Why the fatal genetic disorder is in the news and what it's like to get the diagnosis. - Yahoo Life - December 13th, 2023
- Spanish scientists identify the molecular mechanisms controlling the genes involved in proper formation of the heart ... - EurekAlert - December 13th, 2023
- GENEFIT, the First-Ever Fitness Technology to Integrate Personal Genetics with Wearable Tracker Data, Launches to ... - Fitt Insider - December 13th, 2023
- Genetic 'protection' against depression was no match for pandemic stress, finds study of first-year college students - Medical Xpress - December 13th, 2023
- Origin and evolution of the triploid cultivated banana genome - Nature.com - December 13th, 2023
- CellCharter reveals spatial cell niches associated with tissue remodeling and cell plasticity - Nature.com - December 13th, 2023
- How do we get our eye color? A genetics expert reveals the fascinating truth - Fox News - December 13th, 2023
- WVU Today | WVU scientists spice up genetic research through habanero peppers and AI - WVU Today - December 13th, 2023
- Genetic mutations that promote reproduction tend to shorten human lifespan, study shows - Phys.org - December 13th, 2023
- Stanford Scientists Discover Common Genetic Factor That Fends Off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - SciTechDaily - December 13th, 2023
- Association of genetic risk and lifestyle with pancreatic cancer and their age dependency: a large prospective cohort ... - BMC Medicine - December 13th, 2023
- New bill would block American genetic data from access by companies tied to foreign adversaries - Homeland Preparedness News - December 13th, 2023
- Electric Eels Shocking Ability To Alter The Genetics Of Nearby Animals - Forbes - December 13th, 2023
- "When them genetics kick in its all over" - NBA fans send in rib-tickling reactions as LeBron James attends Zhuri James' volleyball game -... - October 16th, 2023
- David Liu, chemist: We now have the technology to correct misspellings in our DNA that cause known genetic diseases - EL PAS USA - April 7th, 2023
- World Health Day 2023: Understanding the science of Epi-genetics and how to apply it in our daily lives - Free Press Journal - April 7th, 2023
- Genetics - National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) - March 29th, 2023
- GENETICS 101 - Understanding Genetics - NCBI Bookshelf - March 29th, 2023
- People always think Im skinny because of good genetics theyre shocked when they see what I used to lo... - The US Sun - March 29th, 2023
- Forensics expert explains 'genetic genealogy' process believed to be used in Kohberger's arrest - KTVB.com - January 6th, 2023
- Idaho student murders: What is genetic genealogy, a tool reportedly used to help capture the suspect? - FOX 10 News Phoenix - January 6th, 2023