02-14-2013, 09:55 PM
Benefits of viruses
Just like any other species on the Earth, viruses need to fight to survive and to replicate as much as possible. Due to their small size, inability to live without host and high growing potential, they will induce more or less damage in humans, plants or animals - their typical hosts. Although the list of incurable viral diseases is long, they could be more than helpful in various fields of human life. Scientists realized potential of different viruses and today, whole viruses or their particles represent inevitable part of modern medicine, genetic engineering and agriculture.
Viruses in medicine
Long time ago, doctors realized that people can develop immunity against certain diseases when they are partially exposed to the infective agent. That was the beginning of the era of vaccines that helped in saving millions of lives. Besides vaccination against classic viral diseases such as chicken pox, measles, polio and other, new generation of vaccines that could prevent cancer was developed. Some viruses, such as human papillomavirus and hepatitis B virus induce cervical and liver cancers, respectively. Vaccines against these types of viruses are developed and they already proved to be effective. Although modern age is associated with synthetic vaccines (faster and cheaper production and broader application compared to old fashion vaccines), viruses still represent huge and very important component in vaccine production.
Due to fast and easily traceable replication, scientists often use viruses to study pathology of viruses and immune response, DNA or RNA replication, protein production and genetics in general. Ability of viruses to incorporate into host’s genome is widely used in gene therapy. Using viral vectors, corrected versions of the impaired genes (genes that underwent mutation or become silenced for some other reason) can be inserted in the host's tissue. Once incorporated in the host's DNA, virus particle will start expressing protein of interest, one whose absence resulted in disease. Principle of action can be explained on the example of diabetes type I. This is an autoimmune disease: pancreatic beta cells are recognized as foreign bodies and destroyed by immune system. End result - lack of insulin and inability of patient to lower its blood glucose level without insulin therapy for the rest of his/her life. Potential solution for diabetes lays in gene therapy. Viral particle bearing genes that encode insulin should target and incorporate into DNA of the pancreatic cells. When they reach desired tissue, they could turn some of pancreatic cells into beta cells and induce production of insulin, which will automatically decrease (or cease completely) the need for exogenous therapy. Although this method still needs to be improved, it has a great chance of becoming regular therapy for insulin in the future. A lot of other diseases could be treated by gene therapy and researchers are especially focused on the field of cancer. Viruses that are mostly used as vectors in gene therapy are adeno- and retroviruses. Besides them, adeno-like viruses, lenti-, alpha- and pox viruses are also used.
Some viruses live inside bacterial cells. Those are called bacteriophages. One of the latest news associated with bacteriophages is that they could prevent acne formation in people prone to this issue. Acne develops as the result of increased activity of Propionibacterium species. Since these bacteria normally host ~11 types of viruses, acne could be prevented by increasing the number of bacteriophages that destroy bacterial wall to release themselves as soon as they finish replication. When genomes of these viruses were sequenced, it was discovered that they share the same mechanism of infecting bacteria and thus all of them could be useful in production of medicines that could kill acne causing bacteria.
Viruses in agriculture
Viruses are also beneficial in agriculture. They improve qualities of plants and animals by serving as genetic vectors in creation of the transgenic organisms. Other than that, viruses can be used in the pest control. By choosing the right viral agent, certain types of insects can be eliminated from the harvest. Baculoviruses are group of viruses that attack and kill around 600 species of insects. When solution containing baculoviruses are sprayed over the plants, caterpillars will infect themselves with viruses and die after some time. This method is safe for humans because viruses of this group can't infect humans. Besides that, viruses of the surface of the plant will be destroyed via sunlight or high temperature.
These are just some of the examples showing benefits of viruses. Just like other species on the Earth, they need to fight to survive, even though some of their mechanisms are harmful for people. If you consider how many species and beautiful things humans managed to destroy so far, maybe our species is more pathogenic than all viruses together.
Just like any other species on the Earth, viruses need to fight to survive and to replicate as much as possible. Due to their small size, inability to live without host and high growing potential, they will induce more or less damage in humans, plants or animals - their typical hosts. Although the list of incurable viral diseases is long, they could be more than helpful in various fields of human life. Scientists realized potential of different viruses and today, whole viruses or their particles represent inevitable part of modern medicine, genetic engineering and agriculture.
Viruses in medicine
Long time ago, doctors realized that people can develop immunity against certain diseases when they are partially exposed to the infective agent. That was the beginning of the era of vaccines that helped in saving millions of lives. Besides vaccination against classic viral diseases such as chicken pox, measles, polio and other, new generation of vaccines that could prevent cancer was developed. Some viruses, such as human papillomavirus and hepatitis B virus induce cervical and liver cancers, respectively. Vaccines against these types of viruses are developed and they already proved to be effective. Although modern age is associated with synthetic vaccines (faster and cheaper production and broader application compared to old fashion vaccines), viruses still represent huge and very important component in vaccine production.
Due to fast and easily traceable replication, scientists often use viruses to study pathology of viruses and immune response, DNA or RNA replication, protein production and genetics in general. Ability of viruses to incorporate into host’s genome is widely used in gene therapy. Using viral vectors, corrected versions of the impaired genes (genes that underwent mutation or become silenced for some other reason) can be inserted in the host's tissue. Once incorporated in the host's DNA, virus particle will start expressing protein of interest, one whose absence resulted in disease. Principle of action can be explained on the example of diabetes type I. This is an autoimmune disease: pancreatic beta cells are recognized as foreign bodies and destroyed by immune system. End result - lack of insulin and inability of patient to lower its blood glucose level without insulin therapy for the rest of his/her life. Potential solution for diabetes lays in gene therapy. Viral particle bearing genes that encode insulin should target and incorporate into DNA of the pancreatic cells. When they reach desired tissue, they could turn some of pancreatic cells into beta cells and induce production of insulin, which will automatically decrease (or cease completely) the need for exogenous therapy. Although this method still needs to be improved, it has a great chance of becoming regular therapy for insulin in the future. A lot of other diseases could be treated by gene therapy and researchers are especially focused on the field of cancer. Viruses that are mostly used as vectors in gene therapy are adeno- and retroviruses. Besides them, adeno-like viruses, lenti-, alpha- and pox viruses are also used.
Some viruses live inside bacterial cells. Those are called bacteriophages. One of the latest news associated with bacteriophages is that they could prevent acne formation in people prone to this issue. Acne develops as the result of increased activity of Propionibacterium species. Since these bacteria normally host ~11 types of viruses, acne could be prevented by increasing the number of bacteriophages that destroy bacterial wall to release themselves as soon as they finish replication. When genomes of these viruses were sequenced, it was discovered that they share the same mechanism of infecting bacteria and thus all of them could be useful in production of medicines that could kill acne causing bacteria.
Viruses in agriculture
Viruses are also beneficial in agriculture. They improve qualities of plants and animals by serving as genetic vectors in creation of the transgenic organisms. Other than that, viruses can be used in the pest control. By choosing the right viral agent, certain types of insects can be eliminated from the harvest. Baculoviruses are group of viruses that attack and kill around 600 species of insects. When solution containing baculoviruses are sprayed over the plants, caterpillars will infect themselves with viruses and die after some time. This method is safe for humans because viruses of this group can't infect humans. Besides that, viruses of the surface of the plant will be destroyed via sunlight or high temperature.
These are just some of the examples showing benefits of viruses. Just like other species on the Earth, they need to fight to survive, even though some of their mechanisms are harmful for people. If you consider how many species and beautiful things humans managed to destroy so far, maybe our species is more pathogenic than all viruses together.
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