Are humans descended from viruses?

“If Charles Darwin reappeared today, he might be surprised to learn that humans are descended from viruses as well as from apes. Some 8% of human DNA represents fossil retroviral genomes…”

2006

What is a retrovirus?

“Reverse Transcriptase”

Endogenous RetroVirus (ERV)

SpermEgg

ERV

ERV ERV

ERVERV ERVERV ERV

ERV ERV ERV ERV ERV ERVERV

1961: 1961: Some RNA viruses affect the DNA of their hosts.Some RNA viruses affect the DNA of their hosts.1963: 1963: Hypothesis: RNA vHypothesis: RNA virus inserts DNA copy into host. irus inserts DNA copy into host. 1968: 1968: DNA insertion hypothesis confirmedDNA insertion hypothesis confirmed..1970: 1970: Discovery of reverse transcriptaseDiscovery of reverse transcriptase..1974: 1974: Retroviruses are finally named.Retroviruses are finally named.1989: 1989: Human ERVs identified in other primates.Human ERVs identified in other primates.1957: 1957: Central dogma: DNA → RNA → ProteinCentral dogma: DNA → RNA → Protein

The Discovery of ERVs

19611961 Som

e RN

A viruses affect the DN

A of their hosts.

Some R

NA viruses affect the D

NA of their hosts.

19681968 D

NA insertion hypothesis confirm

ed.

DN

A insertion hypothesis confirmed.

19631963 H

ypothesis: RN

A v

Hypothesis: R

NA virus inserts D

NA copy into host

irus inserts DN

A copy into host..

19891989 H

uman ER

Vs identified in other primates.

Hum

an ERVs identified in other prim

ates.

19701970 D

iscovery of reverse transcriptase.

Discovery of reverse transcriptase.

19741974 R

etroviruses are finally named.

Retroviruses are finally nam

ed.

19571957 C

entral dogma: D

NA

Central dogm

a: DN

A → R

NA

→ R

NA →→

ProteinProtein

DNA RNA Protein

Evolution is Testable Endogenous Retroviruses and Common Ancestry

Prediction: If evolution by common descent is a correct description of the origin of human beings, then we should share ample evidence of shared ERV sequences with our closest relative, the chimpanzee.

Humans Chimps

A Coincidence?

• Would require the same retrovirus to insert in exactly the same chromosomal location.

• ERVs insert their DNA at “integration sites.” • Each integration site is 100,000 - 250,000 base

pairs in length.• Each ERV has 500 - 2000 integration sites.• Therefore, there at least 50,000,000 possible

locations where an ERV can randomly insert itself.• Highly improbable that humans and chimps would

have the same ERV sequence at the same location.

ChimpanzeesHumans

ERV1ERV1

Chimpanzee Rat

ERV2ERV2

ERV3ERV3

Mouse

1 1 1 11

ERV4ERV4

Human B

,5,4 ,4,3 ,3 ,3 ,2 ,2

ERV5ERV5

Human A

Evolution is Testable Endogenous Retroviruses and Common Ancestry

• Patterns of ERV insertions observed in modern species exactly match predictions.

• We do not find ERVs in the same position in two distantly related species without also finding it in the intervening species.

• ERV evidence clearly demonstrates that modern organisms share common ancestry, confirming the predictions made by the theory of evolution.

• Evolution is REAL science.

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An ERV in Gorillas and Chimps,but not in Humans?

Ancestral sequence

ERV sequence

Chimpanzees GorillasHumans

ERVERV

Bonobos