Epsilon Retroviruses in Monkey Genomes

What is it about?

This work uses computer methods to screen all the available primate genomes (including the human one) for endogenous epsilon retroviruses. Endogenous retroviruses are the remnants of past infections that have become integrated into the host's DNA. Modern infectious epsilon retroviruses are only really found in fish and amphibians, however this paper demonstrates that infections in primates were widespread in the past, raising the question of whether cross species jumps could happen again

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Why is it important?

The paper demonstrates that this group of viruses (which are usually thought of as mostly only infecting fish) have in the past infected a large number of primate species. This raises questions about the potential for modern versions of these viruses to cross into new species