DNA that humans acquired from ancient viruses plays a key role in switching parts of our genetic code on and off, a new study has found.
Nearly half of the human genome consists of segments called transposable elements (TEs), also known as “jumping genes” because they can hop around the genome. Some of these TEs are remnants of ancient viruses that embedded themselves in our ancestors’ genomes and have been passed down over millions of years.
For decades after TEs were discovered, scientists assumed they served no useful purpose — that they were “junk” DNA. But this new study adds to the mounting evidence that this description was far from correct.
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