Designer Viruses

[Nix]

id like to see what people think of one of my pet hopes and dreams.

I forsee a future where it wll be possible to specfically design viruses to act as carriers of genetic information that would be beneficial once replicated in the host. in some instances this may be the most efficient method of genetic therapy.

briefly, my philosophy is that humans will continue to develop through means that are ethically sound. at present many humans suffer ailments that directly result from the lack, or underproduction of certain proteins, and it is theoretically and almost practically possible to create a virus that will amelirate this condition, without upsetting the balance greatly. when you consider that we regularly dope ourselves with drugs and vaccines, be they prophylactic or therapeutic, is there anything to stop this being expanded to include viruses which can stay in our genome, and thus act, over the entirely of our life, and possibly exactly when needed?? and would be poeple be excited by viruses designed to IMPROVE our fitness, say something to increase a protective protein in myocardium or enhance neuron fitness in the brain? I read a poll that 50% of americans would genetically engineer their baby to be fitter and smarter, and gene therapy is widespread, so this sorta falls in the same area.

keep in mind that throughout our lives our genome is dynamic (yes genome, not proteome) and accumulates viruses and foreign DNA, so why not direct this for good purpose.

[Tormod]

I am sure this is already happening. Using engineered viruses has been a method for vaccines for many, many years.

[Nix]

nonononononno!!!!

what i meant to ask was would people, healthy normal people, be willing to have be infected with a manipulated virus to make them superstrong in some way. ie the next wave in superheroes...or not.

[Tormod]

nonononononno!!!!

what i meant to ask was would people, healthy normal people, be willing to have be infected with a manipulated virus to make them superstrong in some way. ie the next wave in superheroes...or not.

 

Okay, that's fine. I didn't see that question in your post. :(

 

As for myself, I don't know - having struggled with asthma and allergies all my life, I am used to taking medications every day. I don't think I would mind a treatment which would go directly to the source and fix this genetically.

 

Since I am probably not a healthy, normal person I guess my opinions don't count, though. :hyper:

[paultrr]

Okay, that's fine. I didn't see that question in your post. :(

 

As for myself, I don't know - having struggled with asthma and allergies all my life, I am used to taking medications every day. I don't think I would mind a treatment which would go directly to the source and fix this genetically.

 

Since I am probably not a healthy, normal person I guess my opinions don't count, though. :hyper:

Actually, they do count since you'd be a prime example of someone who could benefit from such. Besides define normal. I know plenty of people who have allergies and at least two of my kids have asthma.

[Tormod]

Actually, they do count since you'd be a prime example of someone who could benefit from such. Besides define normal. I know plenty of people who have allergies and at least two of my kids have asthma.

 

Oh, I agree. It's just that Nix emphasised "healthy normal people" in his second post. :hyper:

[GAHD]

Of course! I think Sci-Am had an article on exactly that subject not too long ago; "Gene Doping"; July 2004; by H. Lee Sweeney; 8 page(s).

 

Basics of the article are that some scientists created a synthetic gene which alters muscular tissue; specifically it cripples the muscle tissue's ability to make a chemical signal to atrophy due to under use. The net effect of this is that the skeletal muscles grow much faster, and don't disappear anywhere near as fast.

 

Some quick research pointed that the 'synthetic' gene is actually based off of a defective gene in the Bulgarian Blue Bull's genome causing it to be the 'double muscled cow'. Delivery methods for the treatment (which is currently in clinical trials to treat muscular distrophy) are muscle-specific and utilize a relatively harmless virus found naturally in many people's muscle tissues as-is.

 

Another use which could be deemed as something a 'superhero' would have is a genetic treatment to help people deal with pain more efficiently; " Gene Therapy for Pain"; see full issue: March-April 2001 American Scientist. Sounds like they're trying to turn lepprosy into a tool if you ask me.

 

I, personally, am a little intimidated by the possibility of an Uber-soldat using just these two therapies, let alone if they were to incorporate other 'improvements'.

 

This discussion of course raises the ethical question of tinkering with our genome. I wonder when the line between 'normals' and 'gene dopers' will be drawn in the sand, and on which side I'll choose to stand.

[C1ay]

This discussion of course raises the ethical question of tinkering with our genome. I wonder when the line between 'normals' and 'gene dopers' will be drawn in the sand, and on which side I'll choose to stand.

This whole topic and this particular consideration bring another thought to mind for me as well. (Actually it might make for a good thread)

 

So far we are learning how to effect change to mankind chemically via drugs, toxins, hormones, etc.. Our makeup is one of an electro-chemical nature though. Will it be possible at some point to effect a change via some type of sensory input other than chemistry? An example might be an auditory or optical input that somehow effects a change by electrically tripping some electrical mechanism in the mind as a result. Far fetched I know but could something like a genetic change or mental program execution be caused through a sensory input to our mind versus a chemical one?

[Nix]

I wonder when the line between 'normals' and 'gene dopers' will be drawn in the sand, and on which side I'll choose to stand.

Yipes!!! i tried to warn that im not good at typing what i mean :( as often as i remind myself i still fall into the trap of saying 'normal'. i guess im trying to demarcate between people with something reducing their health, wellbeing and fitness (which would be most of us in some way or another), and those who feel fit as a fiddle but would push for even better performance.i'll not say that it's inevitable, but 'gene doping' seems like a real future avenue. most things int he world are pretty unequal at the moment, so maybe investing in a designer virus to make your kiddies brighter would be as commonplace as forking out the cash to send them to a good college?? maybe a sweet 16 B'day prezzie??

[Nix]

This whole topic and this particular consideration bring another thought to mind for me as well. (Actually it might make for a good thread)

 

So far we are learning how to effect change to mankind chemically via drugs, toxins, hormones, etc.. Our makeup is one of an electro-chemical nature though. Will it be possible at some point to effect a change via some type of sensory input other than chemistry? An example might be an auditory or optical input that somehow effects a change by electrically tripping some electrical mechanism in the mind as a result. Far fetched I know but could something like a genetic change or mental program execution be caused through a sensory input to our mind versus a chemical one?

Nice idea!!. maybe one day we'll be able to interface the impulses in our brain with computer software and recircuit any bugs??

[tarak]

Viruses are natural carriers of genetic material.Remeber that trangle of transposons,viruses and plasmids as carriers of genetic info.

 

They have evolved as such entities as information molecules with infomation in thier nucleic acid and the manifestation of information in their protein coats.They certainly are one of the mechanisms to deliver information and are being deployed in all the strategies like gene therapies to deliver the needful information at the target.This is all fine at the theoretical level.Now with the complexity and eventual specificity of information at the cellular targets I wonder how many viruses one should get infected to become a superman????

 

I understand that these are great challanges in biology with respect to the deciphering of the nature of genetic info.How a particular process of transcription/translation and all those related sub-processes convince the gatekeeper to send the signal to the target and ofcourse the gatekeepers fall ill of epigenetics.