Wasp uses virus to make GM butterfly

摘要

If you thought genetic modification was just something humans did, think again. A French team has found that the iconic monarch butterfly, famed for its long migrations, has wasp genes in its genome. The monarch is not alone. Wasp genes have been found in several butterfly and moth species, inserted by viruses that the wasps use as biological weapons. There are numerous species of parasitic wasp that lay their eggs in caterpillars. When the larvae hatch they feed on the caterpillar's body, and the wasps have evolved a truly extraordinary way of subduing the caterpillar's immune system to stop it attacking their offspring.