All viruses attack their hosts and introduce their genetic material into the host cell as part of their replication cycle. This genetic material contains basic 'instructions' of how to produce more copies of these viruses, hijacking the body's normal cellular production machinery to serve the needs of the virus .
The host cell will carry out these instructions and produce additional copies of the virus, leading to more and more cells becoming infected.
Some types of viruses actually physically insert their genes into the host's genome. This incorporates the genes of that virus among the genes of the host cell for the life span of that cell.
Viruses like this could be used as vehicles to carry 'good' genes into a human cell. First, a scientist would remove the genes in the virus that cause disease. Then they would replace those genes with genes encoding the desired effect (for instance, insulin production in the case of diabetics). **this has been done with bacteria since the late 1980's**
This procedure must be done in such a way that the genes which allow the virus to insert its genome into its host's genome are left intact. This opens the door to a wide array of potential treatments for everything from warts to cancer...
What are your thoughts about this?
The host cell will carry out these instructions and produce additional copies of the virus, leading to more and more cells becoming infected.
Some types of viruses actually physically insert their genes into the host's genome. This incorporates the genes of that virus among the genes of the host cell for the life span of that cell.
Viruses like this could be used as vehicles to carry 'good' genes into a human cell. First, a scientist would remove the genes in the virus that cause disease. Then they would replace those genes with genes encoding the desired effect (for instance, insulin production in the case of diabetics). **this has been done with bacteria since the late 1980's**
This procedure must be done in such a way that the genes which allow the virus to insert its genome into its host's genome are left intact. This opens the door to a wide array of potential treatments for everything from warts to cancer...
What are your thoughts about this?
