"Uncovering Bizarre Virus-Like Entities in the Human Gut Microbes"

Scientists have discovered virus-like structures called "obelisks" in the human gut and mouth, which replicate like viruses but are much smaller and simpler, falling into the "viroid" class. These obelisks are found in roughly seven percent of human gut bacteria and 50 percent of mouth bacteria, and may influence gene activity within the human microbiome. While their exact function is still unknown, further study could shed light on their role in the human body and their relationship to viruses and viroids.