3 ms·
In which direction? Host-to-virus and virus-to-host (germline) HGT. Virus-to-virus HGT: happens all of the time. Retrovirus-to-host: endogenous retroviruses a
by failwhaleshark 5y ago
In which direction? Host-to-virus and virus-to-host (germline) HGT.
Virus-to-virus HGT: happens all of the time.
Retrovirus-to-host: endogenous retroviruses are ~8% of the human genome.
Host-to-virus: I don't know.
The other issue would be the size of the payload.
It seems like a big stretch, but so is life.
I doubt any of this is realistically-possible except in externally-fertilized species where either something weird happened between gametes of different species or a retrovirus infected the gametes. Hybridization may also be an explanation.
- shireboy 5y agoI guess host-to-virus and virus-to-host is what I meant with the question. Virus evolves in the herring incorporating the AFP gene. Then infects the smelt or gametes and injects the AFP gene. A small number of smelt incorporate the gene and then nature selects for their offspring.