To pox or not to pox

K

Kunax

Sciforums:Reality not required
Registered Senior Member
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994318

apperently there are numorous different kind af pox out there, mouse, cow, rabbit and smallpox, bot what does pox mean ?.

p.s.
would it now be funny if we could develop a
- cross species virus
- 2 week incubation
- fatality rate 100%
- absolutly no cure.
- air born
- dormant if no host

how fast do you think we would able to wipe our self out
 
i don't think that there exist a virus with 100% fatality rate, and it suggest that it might not be possible. Especially considering the nature of our immune system

but still a nice project of course.
 
main question still remained, but never mind i found 1 of my missing brain cells under the carpet and look up the word my self.

to get 100% mortality could you not just create something that effected severeal different areas.
could you create somekind of symbiot virus, with several virus living as 1, traveling from host to host(it sounds more like fungee(sp?) now).

i have no idea what im talking about, but as long a we still are trying to annilate each other, we migth as well do it proberrly.
 
Last edited:
Pox viruses are cool because they contain RNA polymerase within the virus particle, which transcribes a few genes, including one that uncoats the virus. This all happens after the virus enters the host, but before it is uncoated, so it's a level of autonomy for the viruses.
 
Pox viruses have a large genome by virus standards (around 200 genes), and produce many of the enzymes requires for their replication. They replicate outside the nucleus, and are capable of replicating their genomes in enucleated cells, but don't mature completely, so the lifecycle is blocked. This seems to be around the stage they pick up a golgi apparatus membrane coating, so maybe it has something to do with that (that's me guessing). Like I posted before they also start transcribing genes before they have been uncoated, actually one of the genes is required for uncoating.

They do require the cell for their replication, probably most importantly the ribosomes, but many other things, like: Initiation of replication only begins upon entry into a cell. They are enveloped in two layers of cell membrane, which they get from the host, and require host enzymes to begin uncoating. They also rely on the hosts cytoskeleton when the put themself back together. There's sure to be plenty more. So...they certainly aren't completely autonomous.

They require a cellular host, but not nearly as much of the host as many viruses.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top