Re infectivity of naked viral DNA

[Karl Fischer]

In article <01HQKU50TMPE0082BV at PICARD.EVMS.EDU>, SOMERS at PICARD.EVMS.EDU wrote:

> The recent posting citing the article in Science 259:1745-49 as evidence
> for infectivity of naked viral DNA does not demonstrate viral DNA infectivity.
<stuff deleted> 

Just thought I'd add my 2¢ to this thread...


In a paper from Jesse Summers group entitled "Infection initiated by the
RNA pregenome of a DNA virus."(Journal of Virology.  65(10):5435-9, 1991
Oct.) they were able to show that cells transfected with hepadnavirus
pregenomic RNA were able to produce complete infectious virus; the input
RNA served both as transcript for translation as well as the template for
reverse transcription.
The hepadnaviral DNA generated becomes the template from which more
pregenomic RNA is synthesized and infection takes off...

 Covalently closed circular DNA generated in vitro has been shown to
establish infection when injected intrahepatically in animals.

And now back to your regular programming (not Ebola, I hope)...

Karl

-- 
Karl Fischer
kfischer at gpu.srv.ualberta.ca
tyr-2 at bones.biochem.ualberta.ca