Regarding the infectivity of naked DNA

[Susan L. Gdovin]

>> Here's a reference:
>> 
>> Ulmer, JB, et.al., (1993)  Heterologous Protection Against Influenza by 
>> Injection of DNA Encoding a Viral Protein.  Science, 259: 1745-1749.
>
>I have spoke to one of the guiys involved in this study and there is a BIG
>difference in what they are doing and what I understand as the meaning of
>the "chuckles" post.  In this study, they injected DNA into muscle cells
>and got production of protein.  They did not inject a viral genome and, if
>I remember correctly, they did not suggest that their data implied
?injecting a viral genome could lead to production of live virus.  Not to
>mention the obvious difference between "Infectious DNA" lurking in the
>environment and a very clean very high concentration DNA prep being
>injected into a particular cell type which was chosen because it should
>tolerate episomal DNA (how is that for a run-on sentence?).

You're right.... it's exciting data, but the reference doesn't address the 
specific issue of infection.  (sorry) 

However, I do know a group at the NIH that has successfully infected 
and produced disease in chimps by injecting hepatitis A RNA into 
their livers.  The viral RNA was produced in vitro via transcription 
of cDNA clones.  I don't know if they ever published this --  but they 
did present it at a (+)ssRNA virus meeting in Florida a few years ago.