Sudhakar Jha
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Sudhakar Jha | Updated : August 29, 2018 5:54 PM IST
Normally, when a virus enters your cell, that cell blocks the virus’s DNA and prevents it from performing any actions. © Shutterstock
Though harmless, and doesn t leave symptoms, herpes virus is known have infected 33 per cent of Indians. There are many celebrities as well who have genital or oral herpes. Till now scientists were not able to figure out the virus enters the body despite all the defense mechanism that we have.
But a new study has finally found that how human cytomegalovirus, a type of herpes virus, which also is a leading cause of birth defects and transplant failures, travels in the body. With time and evolution, this virus has found a way to bypass the body s defense mechanisms that usually guard against viral infections.
In human s defence mechanism, when a virus enters the cell, that cell block the virus DNA. But cytomegalovirus, after entering the body, doesn t only inject its own DNA into a human cell, but also carries its viral DNA into the cell along with proteins, PP71. After infecting the cell, the virus releases those PP71 proteins, which then lets the viral DNA to reproduce and to spread the infection.
The researchers went on to find that while protein PP71 is still present in the cell, the virus activates another protein called IE1. After the PP71 is finished, the new protein IE1 takes over and continues to reproduce.
To confirm their findings, the team of researchers created a synthetic version of the virus, by which they could adjust the levels of IE1 protein. With this technique, they let the virus infect the cell while also controlled IE1 protein s ability to break down in the cell.
Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, study Noam Vardi said that they noticed that when the IE1 protein degraded slowly the virus could replicate more efficiently. But if the protein broke down faster, the virus couldn t multiply as well.
