A hollow protein shell (top left) that occurs naturally in bacteria was evolved in the laboratory into a capsid structure (right) capable of storing RNA. (Visualisations: ETH Zurich / Stephan Tetter)
A hollow protein shell ( top left ) that occurs naturally in bacteria was evolved in the laboratory into a capsid structure ( right ) capable of storing RNA. (Visualisations: ETH Zurich / Stephan Tetter) - Researchers at ETH Zurich have recreated a key step in the evolutionary history of viruses in a laboratory experiment. They succeeded in remodeling a natural protein to create capsids capable of storing genetic material. Viruses have always had a major influence on life. They emerged a few billion years ago, precisely when is difficult to estimate. There are also several theories as to how viruses originated. While exploring one possibility, researchers at ETH Zurich have managed to recapitulate a potentially pivotal stage in virus evolution in the lab: the creation of a virus-like protein container capable of storing its own genetic information.
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