Researchers found a virus that could help stop the spread of the Zika virus

Science Jeanette Walsh
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Two biologists have made a startling discovery when they tried to attack sequencing the genome of a virus called Wolbachia, a bacterial parasite that infected the black widow spider, and more than half of the species of arthropods, insects, spiders, and crustaceans.

The discovery of the DNA ‘like the black widow toxin gene was a real surprise because it is the first time a beech the in(virus the that infects bacteria) was discovered inside an animal form of DNA,’ said Seth Bordenstein, professor of biology and science. He along with the main specialist, Sarah Bordenstein, published the results in a book called ‘Pairing mode eukaryotic genome of Wolbachia phage WO’ published on Oct. 11 in the Nature Communications journal.

Normally, such phages Phage Wo, which the researchers have studied, wore a special type of gene that open and destroy the structure of prokaryotic defense bacterial cells they target. But in this case the ‘portion of DNA similar to the black widow toxic gene is intact and widespread in the phage,’ said Bordenstein.  ‘There is also evidence that phages produce insecticidal toxins, but we are still not sure how they are used or managed,‘ he added.

Researchers have found that the WO shares a number of segments of DNA to the genome of the animal. These include an eukaryotic cells segmentation that are used by animals to sense the presence of pathogens that are involved in triggering cell death.

Once the Wolbachia host infected arthropods, it rotates around it in a layeof the membrane by the arthropod. Consequently, the beech tried to find the way to the eukaryotic membrane to enter or exit the host.

‘We suspect that it forms its membrane pores in the cells surrounding the Wolbachia arthropod phage giving them the opportunity to destroy both bacteria and arthropod membrane that surrounds it. In this way he uses some of the proteins, ” said the researcher.

Its capabilities could be used to fight the Zika virus or the dengue fever. It seems that it prevents replication of these viruses inside the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Infecting mosquitoes with Wolbachia spread and was successful in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The use of the parasitic bacteria has two potential advantages: does not rely on chemical toxins and once inserted, the bacteria spreads rapidly through the mosquito population.