3 ms·
>DNA cuts in nerve cells that the DNA repair mechanism cannot repair If I read the article correctly the "cuts" are made to the DNA of the virus, not the nerve
by wnevets 6y ago
>DNA cuts in nerve cells that the DNA repair mechanism cannot repair
If I read the article correctly the "cuts" are made to the DNA of the virus, not the nerve cell itself. [1]
[1]
The hidden herpes viruses are disabled by an injection that tracks down infected nerve cells and induces them to make special gene-cutting enzymes, which work like a molecular scissors, to slash viral genes in specific places. Much of the team’s meticulous work of the past five years has involved finding better ways to target infected clusters of nerve cells and to thwart the virus’s ability to quickly repair the cuts to its genes.
- mrtesthah 6y ago>If I read the article correctly the "cuts" are made to the DNA of the virus, not the nerve cell itself. [1] To further clarify, the herpes virus leaves DNA plasmids inside the cell nucleus; the virus' DNA is NOT incorporated into the cell's genome (like HIV) and the meganuclease delivered by the AAV cuts apart those plasmids -- not the cell's own DNA -- and in this version actually leaves behind its own plasmid that acts as a sentinel making more meganucleases to guard against future HSV infections in that cell. The researchers are investigating ways to remove those AAV plasmids when the job is done for added safety.
- inglor_cz 6y agoBasically, you want the cuts to only happen where they should. Without so-called "off target" edits, undesirable changes elsewhere. We are becoming better with the molecular scissors, but 100 percent accuracy is AFAIK not there yet.