Unveiling Obelisks: Discovering a Novel Class of Viroids in the Human Microbiome.

Scientists have identified a new class of virus-like entities, called Obelisks, residing in the human gut and mouth microbiomes. These viroids, primarily RNA loops, exhibit unique features and may influence gene activity within bacterial hosts. While their impact on human health remains uncertain, the discovery sheds light on the intricate dynamics of the microbiome and raises questions about the evolutionary relationship between viroids and viruses.