(ORDO NEWS) — Fortunately, the z-genome, which scientists discovered, is not present in all viruses. This discovery indicates that viruses use something like a unique genetic alphabet. Such “alphabets” have not been found anywhere else on planet Earth.
It is reported by Live Science.
The researchers very nicely and easily explained what exactly is the uniqueness of the genome. The entire life plan of “Earth” is written using a four-letter genetic alphabet. But there is an exception, like some viruses. Their gene alphabet is composed of other letters (DNA molecules). This feature gives them the ability to survive in any conditions.
If the usual genome consists of the following letters: G (guanine), C (cytosine), T (thymine), A (adenine), then cyanobacteria have replaced A with Z (2-aminoadenine). Everything in the world consists of this alphabet, only the programs in the codes are different.
Therefore, cynophages have been of interest to scientists since 1977, it was then that this difference was first noticed. Why their gene alphabet doesn’t look like ATG, aZTGC. How does this excellence affect their life cycle?
The Z-nucleotide makes the virus more resistant to high temperatures. It also binds DNA strands better and can resist certain types of protein. Now scientists from France and China are trying to figure out how the genome gets into the DNA of viruses.
It turns out that two types of proteins are involved in the creation of the Z genome: PurZ, PurB. When a cyanophage introduces its DNA into bacteria, transformation begins and the proteins bind together to form a Z-nucleotide.
The goal of scientists is to learn how to use this genome to treat people against bacterial infections. Therefore, research is actively continuing.
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