Lifted out of a private debate between myself and Aman777,
Nowhere have I said that "all the ERVs in humans and chimpanzees are identical". I would ask you please not to lie about what I say.
The truth is that the vast majority of the approximately 200,000 ERV sequences found in humans are also found in corresponding DNA loci in chimps.
If ERVs are not the inherited remnants of germline integrations, what are they? Your alternative explanation has to account for all the evidence that leads virologists to conclude that they are retroviral in origin. This includes the presence of retroviral genes such as reverse transcriptase and integrase, LTRs, repetition of host DNA either side of the integration site and the viral codon bias. Same data, different interpretation. What's your interpretation? Be sure to explain all the data.
As others have pointed out, HIV is not an ERV. To my knowledge, there are no cases of HIV endogenizing. Nevertheless, HIV is survivable to and beyond reproduction. In a population decimated by a disease, those who are resistant soon reproduce up to match the available resources. And remember, reverse transcription, unlike transcription, is a very error-prone process. It is why HIV evolves so quickly. In many cases, the integrated provirus is non-functional. In general, viruses eventually either become extinct, because they have wiped out the creatures they infect, or they become "tamed" to the degree that allows the host species and the virus to persist. I think your incredulity is feigned, and in any case, does not amount to a reasonable objection in the absence of any real alternative explanations.
BTW, Mark, are you associated with those sniveling little weasels at "Evolution Fairytale"? They suspended me for a week several weeks ago, and have not reinstated me. They do not even acknowledge, let alone reply to my emails.
I'd be interested to learn what you imagine the refutation to be. It's easy to make claims like this, but meaningless, and useless, unless you can back them up.
Nowhere have I said that "all the ERVs in humans and chimpanzees are identical". I would ask you please not to lie about what I say.
The truth is that the vast majority of the approximately 200,000 ERV sequences found in humans are also found in corresponding DNA loci in chimps.
If ERVs are not the inherited remnants of germline integrations, what are they? Your alternative explanation has to account for all the evidence that leads virologists to conclude that they are retroviral in origin. This includes the presence of retroviral genes such as reverse transcriptase and integrase, LTRs, repetition of host DNA either side of the integration site and the viral codon bias. Same data, different interpretation. What's your interpretation? Be sure to explain all the data.
As others have pointed out, HIV is not an ERV. To my knowledge, there are no cases of HIV endogenizing. Nevertheless, HIV is survivable to and beyond reproduction. In a population decimated by a disease, those who are resistant soon reproduce up to match the available resources. And remember, reverse transcription, unlike transcription, is a very error-prone process. It is why HIV evolves so quickly. In many cases, the integrated provirus is non-functional. In general, viruses eventually either become extinct, because they have wiped out the creatures they infect, or they become "tamed" to the degree that allows the host species and the virus to persist. I think your incredulity is feigned, and in any case, does not amount to a reasonable objection in the absence of any real alternative explanations.
BTW, Mark, are you associated with those sniveling little weasels at "Evolution Fairytale"? They suspended me for a week several weeks ago, and have not reinstated me. They do not even acknowledge, let alone reply to my emails.
