Saturday Genetics Quiz #26: Gene Therapy Part 2

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on January 6th, 2006

This week’s genetics quiz question follows up on part 1:

What are the different viruses used to deliver therapeutic genes to patients’ target cells?

Answers:

Some of the different types of viruses used as gene therapy vectors:

Retroviruses - A class of viruses that can create double-stranded DNA copies of their RNA genomes. These copies of its genome can be integrated into the chromosomes of host cells. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus.
Adenoviruses - A class of viruses with double-stranded DNA genomes that cause respiratory, intestinal, and eye infections in humans. The virus that causes the common cold is an adenovirus.
Adeno-associated viruses - A class of small, single-stranded DNA viruses that can insert their genetic material at a specific site on chromosome 19.
Herpes simplex viruses - A class of double-stranded DNA viruses that infect a particular cell type, neurons. Herpes simplex virus type 1 is a common human pathogen that causes cold sores.
Also see Gene Therapy for Canavan Disease.

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