Posted on 06/26/2012 9:54:45 PM PDT by neverdem
Mysterious Asian ‘corpse flower’ parasite actually steals huge chunks of its host’s DNA – but what does it do with it?
'Eureka' finding rewrites relationship between parasite and host
Scientists puzzled over WHY flower 'steals' genes
Parasitic plant cannot live without its host
A corpse flower in Sarawak, Malaysia: The 'corpse flower' - a parasitic plant which lives in the jungles of Borneo does something far more sinister than simply living off its host
The 'corpse flower' - a parasitic plant which lives in the jungles of Borneo does something far more sinister than simply living off its host.
The parasite, which attaches itself to grape vines, actually steals chunks of its host's DNA - and cannot live without being inside it.
The flower is known as the 'corpse flower' because it emits an odour of rotting flesh.
It's found in the jungles of Borneo.
The flower is separated from its host by 100 million years of evolution, but shares large chunks of its genome, which it appears to have 'siphoned off' in a process similar to the one by which plants and animals pass genes to their offspring.
The finding has puzzled scientists, who say the research could rewrite our thinking on how parasite-host relationships work...
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
(Unless you fall asleep near one of its giant seed pods.)
They should Rename it ‘Union flower’
Part of the SEIU species.
Sounds like the movie "Alien".
Go Triffids!
Does in grow in DC?
Written by the department of redundancy department.
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