Roots of modern virus can be traced to the earliest vertebrates
April 4 (UPI) -- Most modern viruses have ancient roots. New research suggests RNA viruses are millions of years old, many tracing their evolutionary histories back to the earliest vertebrates. Some viruses may be as old as the first animals.In an effort to find new RNA viruses, a team of researchers from Australia and China examined 186 vertebrate species most ignored as potential viral hosts. Their search yielded 14 novel RNA viruses -- viruses with RNA, or ribonucleic acid, as its genetic material.Scientists located the viruses in seemingly healthy amphibians, reptiles, lungfish, ray-finned fish, cartilaginous fish and jawless fish.The research, detailed in the journal Nature, puts the evolutionary origin of RNA viruses -- a family that includes human pathogens such as influenza virus -...
