General background question on virus DNA from a non-scientist - virus DNA (Oct/06/2005 )
I'm a non-scientist, but I have a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to. My apologies if this is a nuisance to anyone.
When microbiologists create a virus, as in the recreation of the 1918 'flu virus we have seen in the media recently, do you combine the DNA strands and insert them into an existing 'live' virus emptied of its DNA, or do you actually reconstruct the entire virus from raw materials.
My apologies for what must be to you a pretty banal question, but it has been puzzling me philosophically - whether, assuming a virus is alive, a virus made in the lab is a genuine form of 'artificially created life' - and I haven't been able to find the answer anywhere else.
The viral genomes can be created de novo by synthesized DNA oligos. In order the produce the actual viral particles, these DNAs need to be transfected into cells which will produce the viral proteins and assemble the viral particles. In some cases such as with polio, this has been done entirely in the test tube utilizing invitro transcription and translation. Thus it is feasible to create a virus with out even using a cell! How this all works is going to vary from virus to virus.
That's interesting.
Thanks for your reply.
hey, Kip, I would like to ask why you assume a virus is alive?
that is a very hotly debated question
that is a very hotly debated question
It was that exact debate, plus the incessant news reporting on 'killer flu' which made me curious.
Clearly 'the stuff of life' in a broad sense, and yet seemingly not actually alive. By not meeting the definition of life they pose questions on that very definition.
You guys must find this a fascinating field...
what do you do, Kip?
I did a bit a bit of Math and Science long long ago (it never went very far), but I'm a graphic designer by trade.
A bit of an interloper here. I appreciate your indulgence... 