The Delta 32 Mutation
Immunity Against Black Plague and HIV
See Also: The Link Between The Black Plague and Aids
Scientists believe that the reason for their survival was a genetic mutation found in descendents of the survivors. The gene is called CCR5-delta 32, or Delta 32 for short. Delta 32 is a gene that codes for a protein on the surface of white blood cells which acts as a receptor for other molecules involved in inflammation. Essentially, since the CCR5 Delta 32's receptor's are "turned off", it makes a person resistant or immune to certain viruses because they cannot latch onto the receptors. People who have two copies of the Delta 32 mutation were virtually immune to The Black Death, one from each parent. Those who only had one copy of the mutated gene were resistant to it. The Delta 32 mutation is more common in people of Northern European descent. Smallpox - not The Black Plague - is thought to be the reason for this gene mutation. Smallpox epidemics were common in Europe and so some people developed this mutation.
See Also: Is the Bubonic Plague Still Around Today?
The Black Plague is not the only virus that the Delta 32 mutation protects against. Having two copies of the mutation would make a person virtually immune to HIV, drawing on the same idea that HIV cannot latch on because the receptor is turned off - they cannot gain entry into cells and thereby infect those cells. Those with only one copy of this genetic mutation would be resistant, though not immune, to HIV and its effects. This mutation still exists today, but only in Euro-caucasian people. No Native Americans, Chinese, African, Indian, etc. people have EVER had this mutation. About 10% of Germans, 10% of Irish, etc - basically 10% of each ethnicity group still has this mutation.
Scientists continue to research the Delta 32 mutation in an effort to stop or cure infections such as AIDS. Now, you're probably thinking, why not just duplicate this mutation and give it to everyone? That's not in the realm of possibility, at least not yet. You see, gene alteration (or even removing a gene) is extremely complex, experimental and very precise and we do not understand our own genetic code well enough to start playing with our genetic makeup. Think of what the effects could be if you added a gene in there (which would be extremely difficult to begin with). Any number of things could go wrong. Same goes for removing a gene, or breaking one. The Human Genome project is almost finished (after many years of being worked on), but that just tells us our 'architecture'. There is so much more to be learned about human genetics before we can even think about altering our genes.
Published by Jaclyn
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- A Look into the History and Links Between the Black Plague and AIDS
- Is Bubonic Plague Still Around Today?
- The Black Death
- Bubonic Plague Kills Zoo Monkey in Colorado
- Review: Albert Camus' The Plague
- Denver Zoo Monkey Dies from Black Plague
- The Black Death
- Two copies of Delta 32 (1 from each parent) will make a person immune to HIV.
- Smallpox is thought to be the cause of the mutation.
- CCR5 Delta 32's receptor's are "turned off", so that certain viruses cannot latch onto receptors.
19 Comments
Post a CommentYo stop Hitla hatin'
let it be known that derek bargeld's real name is derek entenmann and he lives in rural west virgnia. not so much dangerous, extremely skinny guy and very arrogant. i've heard he was picked on all the time in grade school.
TO TEXAS, YOUR COMMENT IS STUPID AND RACIST THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A SUPERIOR RACE WHAT BUBBLE IN THE UNIVERSE DO YOU LIVE IN? OH I FORGOT YOUR FROM TEXAS LIKE BUSH YOU GUYS STILL THINK THAT EVERYONE IS ON HORSES AND ARE COWBOYS AND ARE HERE TO COLONIZE THE MODERN WORLD, ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED SINCE COWBOY BUSH HAS BEEN IN OFFICE IS THAT FEAR DOESN'T EARN YOU RESPECT ALL THE MONIES THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS STOLEN FROM US TAX PAYERS COULD HAVE BEEN USED IN STEAM CELL RESEARCH, GLOBAL WARMING RESEARCH, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND ETC. EVERY EDUCATED PERSON KNOW THAT AFRICA IS THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION AND FROM THERE MANKIND VENTURE OFF ACROSS THE WORLD, AIDS AND HIV I BELIEVE WAS A SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT THAT SOMEHOW WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE LAB AND SPREAD AROUND FROM THERE, AND IT'S SAD THAT THE CURE IS NOT BEING SPREAD PUT TO INVOLVE RACE AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE DUMB AND STUPID
HAHAHA dumb derek....oldest people r from Kenya. HItler said that the supreme race came from atlantis via India. All third world countries dumbo. Plus, because of Delta 32 you re able to get other viruses such as avian flu and others...
UR GONE BUDDY LOL!!!!
derek the truth is not legal and DEFINITELY not wanted in the Good-Ol-US. Remember here, history is the AFRICAN slave trade and other things IF they are related to AFRICAN slave trade. 3 times in Brazil they have been nearly wiped out.
This thread is basing off England, those egotist. The real genetics comes out of Northern Europe, those genetically superior Germans, really are genetically superior. Can not even mention that in this country. Hide truth, defeat war hero that wants to lower taxes. Put MOFIA puppet in that can be controlled easily, while the rest of the world laughs at us and is already making fun of him. Bush was respected and most importantly FEARED, even his 2nd in command terrifies the world, (code named Darth Vader, and thinks it is funny !!!!!) but he kept research going without getting involved, watch Chicago Senator get DIRECTLY involved.
That class if oeople you are refering too is the master race, as we all know and have known thourhout the 20th centu
well looks like this has really turned into something - a bone marrow transplant from a delta 32 HIV immune person recently cured a 42 yr old American Aids patient living in Germany. He has been HIV free for nearly 2 years. now - and he doesn't take any medication. They are continuing to monitor this but this IS the answer. This is where they will find the cure for HIV. THIS IS THE ANSWER. They need to figure out a way to do it with less risk to the patient - this was a last resort treatment for his cancer and by coincidence the new bone marrow cured ALSO his HIV!
To "Malice": It's not a bad idea. But the problem is that the D-32 is not fighting the virus. It is only shutting it out so it can't enter the gene. The HIV virus can still enter the original genes of the host. So giving an ill person immune blood from a Delta-32 wouldnt make a difference. It would just be "locked houses" floating around amongst "open houses". And the burglers can still enter the open ones and mess things up.
I heard that about 14% of americans have the Delta 32 gene
I saw a documentary on it about a year ago... this is how they figured it out. I gay man from San Francisco, and was in a circle of about 40 people that was very cavalier with their sex lives... Eventually nearly all of them died and that one guy decided to move to New York City so he would hopefully not have to spent so much time thinking of his dead friends and his own eventual death.... Years go by and he still feels healthy and he wonders... "why am I still alive... everyone else is dead." So he makes some phone calls, becomes a research subject... they test his blood numerous times... and find he is unable to contract HIV. He's immune. So they wonder why... and genetic code becomes a theory to investigate. They research his lineage... and find that there are about five families from this one English town that contracted the black plague, but fought it off threw genetic mutation. About a year ago it was estimated that 3% of Americans are immune. I'm sure it's higher in England.
i just had a theory
if you took some one with double delta 32 and drew blood from him then gave that blood to a HIV positive person blood types aside wouldn't the T cells in the double delta be able to slow down HIV (until the immune T-cells die off) this might work as a preventative.