Genetic Obelisks

So, today I came across this intriguing post by one of my favourite X accounts ... Brian Roemmele.

It was this accompanying image that particularly caught my attention.

Below is Brian's post:

A new type of microscopic organism was just discovered in the human body. You have trillions of obelisks living inside of you, and no knew till now. — Newly discovered organisms called obelisks are made up of tiny rings of genetic material. Obelisks can create their own proteins that are entirely new to science. The team named their proteins "oblins." Scientists are still figuring out what these proteins do and how obelisks interact with other organisms. Obelisks require a microbial host cell for replication. The researchers identified one potential host for obelisks, a bacterium that is mostly found in our mouths. This bacterium is known as Streptococcus sanguinis, and it's commonly found in dental plaque. It's still a mystery where else obelisks are found, what they do to their host, and how they spread. Up until now, obelisks went unnoticed, and could be an entirely new class of life forms. The discovery raises intriguing questions about the role of obelisks in human health, whether they might be harmful, beneficial, or merely passive inhabitants of our microbial ecosystem. There are trillions of tiny organisms in our gut that generally keep us healthy. However, if something upsets this balance, it could make us sick with conditions like diabetes and mood disorders. If obelisks prove to be parasitic, they might harm beneficial gut bacteria, disrupting the delicate ecosystem within the gut and potentially leading to health issues. Conversely, if they have a symbiotic relationship with their hosts, obelisks might contribute to the stability and diversity of the gut microbiome, possibly offering new avenues for therapeutic interventions. Obelisks presence raises questions about possible roles in disease or health maintenance. They could be benign inhabitants, symbiotic partners, or even contributors to certain health conditions, depending on their interactions with host microbes. All of this serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers inherent in the belief that “everything has been discovered” in science. This mindset, often rooted in intellectual arrogance, can stifle curiosity and hinder scientific progress. Historically, there have been instances where the scientific community believed that most major discoveries had already been made, only to be proven otherwise by groundbreaking findings. The identification of obelisks challenges our existing understanding of microbial life and underscores the vastness of the unknown within our own bodies. These RNA elements, which do not fit neatly into existing categories of viruses or viroids, highlight the limitations of our current knowledge and the continuous need for exploration. Embracing the unknown and maintaining intellectual humility are essential for scientific advancement. The discovery of obelisks exemplifies how much remains to be explored and understood. By acknowledging that our current knowledge is incomplete, we open the door to new possibilities and innovations that can profoundly impact our understanding of biology and medicine.

I don't know the source link that Brian has quoted, but for you diehard biology fans, here's a comprehensive paper on these obelisks ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10827157/