Virus: Encyclopedia II - Virus - Study and applications

Virus - Study and applications

Virus - Exploring basic cellular processes

Viruses are important to the study of molecular and cellular biology because they provide simple systems that can be used to manipulate and investigate the functions of cells. The study and use of viruses have provided valuable information about many aspects of cell biology. For example, viruses have further simplified the study of genetics and have helped our understanding of the basic mechanisms of molecular genetics (DNA replication, transcription, RNA processing), Translation (genetics), protein transport, and immunology.

Virus - Viro-therapy

Viro-therapy (Using viruses as treatment against various diseases) is not a new idea. In cancer therapy for example it was recognized as early as the mid 20th Century, when a number of physicians noticed an interesting phenomenon: some of their patients, who suffered from cancer and had an incidental viral infection, or subjected to vaccination, were now improving, experiencing a remission from their symptoms. In the 40's and 50's, studies were conducted in animal models to evaluate the use of viruses in the treatment of tumors, and in 1956, one of the first human clinical trials with oncolytic viruses ("onco" meaning cancer, "lytic" meaning "killing") was conducted in patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer. Nevertheless, systematic research of this field was delayed for years, due to lack of more advanced technologies. In recent years the research in the field of oncolytic viruses began to move forward more quickly and Researchers are trying new ways to use viruses for the therapeutic benefit of mankind.

In 2006 Researchers from the Hebrew University have succeeded in isolating a variant of the Newcastle disease Virus (NDV-HUJ), which usually affects birds, in order to specifically target cancer cells [2]. The Researchers tested the new Viro-therapy on Glioblastoma multiforme patients and achieved promising results for the first time.

Virus - Genetic engineering

Geneticists regularly use viruses as vectors to introduce genes into cells that they are studying. Attempts to treat human diseases through the use of viruses as tools of genetic engineering is one goal of gene therapy.

Virus - Materials science and nanotechnology

Scientists at MIT have recently been able to use viruses to create metallic wires, and they have the potential to be used for binding to exotic materials, self-assembly, liquid crystals, solar cells, batteries, fuel cells, and many other interesting areas.

The essential idea is to use a virus with a known protein on its surface. The location of the code for this protein is in a known location in the DNA, and by randomizing that sequence it can create a phage library of millions of different viruses, each with a different protein expressed on its surface. By using natural selection, one can then find a particular strain of this virus which has a binding affinity for a given material.

For example, one can isolate a virus which has a high affinity for gold. Taking this virus and growing gold nanoparticles around it results in the gold nanoparticles being incorporated into the virus coat, resulting in a gold wire of precise length and shape with biological origins.

Current thinking is that viruses will one day be created which can act as agents on behalf of bio-mechanical healing devices giving humans or other animals extended life.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Study and applications", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki