Virus steals black widow's poison gene

• Autores: Bob Holmes
• Localización: New scientist, ISSN 0262-4079, Nº. 3095, 2016, pág. 8
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • It's one of the most unexpected genetic thefts ever. A virus that infects bacteria has pinched the gene that codes for the poison of black widow spiders. The virus, named WO, probably uses the gene to help it attack its targets. Viruses often steal genes from their hosts. But because bacterial viruses--also called bacteriophages--only attack bacteria, genes from other domains of life are usually beyond their reach. That would include higher organisms known as eukaryotes, which have cells that contain a nucleus