4 ms·

its interesting although one potential twist is that viruses may be more the communications vector for genetic material than the actual disease causing process

by caycep 15y ago

its interesting although one potential twist is that viruses may be more the communications vector for genetic material than the actual disease causing process itself (which is the payload). if this gets widely used in the field, will it disrupt "good" things - evolutionary processes, symbiotic infections, etc? Will it disrupt the ability of manmade viruses (i.e. gene therapy) from working?

ohashi 15y ago
I have no idea but I am curious as well. The one thing that did stick out was he said it only lasted 48 hours in the body. So presumably, if you were doing something after it left the body, it would have no effect (assuming it works as intended).
- vajrabum 15y ago
  In the article the idea of bioengineering Draco into the body was mentioned. My understanding is that in the early stages of pregnancy there's some very weird stuff going on in mammals that appears to involve endogenous retro-viruses. It might be that mammals came into being partly as a result of some reptile having a viral infection that got into some sperm or egg cells. That wouldn't be a reason not to use it as a drug, but the world of biology is very weird and the systems are open in a way computers are not. Viruses have been around for a very long time and like bacteria are embedded into the environment in ways that like fish in water we won't notice until they go away.
  - ohashi 15y ago
    Ah, I forgot that about that part. It were engineered into us that is an interesting and very different scenario than what I was thinking of (simply taking it to cure/remove/kill viruses)
Symmetry 15y ago
Viruses do indeed communicate genetic material between bacteria and contribute to their evolution. Generally humans don't want evolution occurring within our non-gamete cells, when that happens its usually a cancer. Some people have hypothesized that there might be other sorts of symbiotic viruses in humans, but none have been observed so far. On the the other hand we do know of some animals that do have actual symbiotic relationships with viruses[1]. Generally, I imagine that if we give someone manmade viruses we wouldn't give them this drug at the same time. [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydnavirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydnavirus SFW, but don't read the text if you have a weak stomach.

by caycep 15y ago

ohashi 15y ago

I have no idea but I am curious as well. The one thing that did stick out was he said it only lasted 48 hours in the body. So presumably, if you were doing something after it left the body, it would have no effect (assuming it works as intended).

vajrabum 15y ago
In the article the idea of bioengineering Draco into the body was mentioned. My understanding is that in the early stages of pregnancy there's some very weird stuff going on in mammals that appears to involve endogenous retro-viruses. It might be that mammals came into being partly as a result of some reptile having a viral infection that got into some sperm or egg cells. That wouldn't be a reason not to use it as a drug, but the world of biology is very weird and the systems are open in a way computers are not. Viruses have been around for a very long time and like bacteria are embedded into the environment in ways that like fish in water we won't notice until they go away.
- ohashi 15y ago
  Ah, I forgot that about that part. It were engineered into us that is an interesting and very different scenario than what I was thinking of (simply taking it to cure/remove/kill viruses)

Symmetry 15y ago

Viruses do indeed communicate genetic material between bacteria and contribute to their evolution. Generally humans don't want evolution occurring within our non-gamete cells, when that happens its usually a cancer. Some people have hypothesized that there might be other sorts of symbiotic viruses in humans, but none have been observed so far. On the the other hand we do know of some animals that do have actual symbiotic relationships with viruses[1]. Generally, I imagine that if we give someone manmade viruses we wouldn't give them this drug at the same time. [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydnavirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydnavirus SFW, but don't read the text if you have a weak stomach.