All humans have genes enclosed in the DNA which is a double helix in its structure. The close linkage between genetics and viral diseases is not something that can be overlooked by scientists. They are of the view viral diseases have a strong linkage with viral diseases. The environmental factors and increase in toxins have increased the chances of viral diseases. The human body has natural systems that respond to toxins and pathogens to protect from catching the disease. The mutations in the virus genome have affected the response of the human DNA towards a certain type of viral disease.
The genetic changes can be explained through the two principles. Mutations usually take place by changing the genome of a virus. It occurs through the change in a virus protein which leads to alternation in its structure and adaptability in a new environment after changes. The second principle is based on the recombination of virus genome with the nuclei of the virus that can totally transform into a new form of the virus. The newly transformed virus acts as an independent identity that is different from its original form. The characteristics of the altered virus do not match with the unaltered genome of the virus.
Then the question is how do these mutations in the virus genome work? The function of the virus after mutations doesn’t remain the same in the virus. There are three mechanisms of mutations that are used by the virus genome. Firstly, natural bases change in the mutagens. Secondly, the nature of the nuclides is composed of nucleic acid. Thirdly, change in the ability of the enzymes to replicate the amino acids. The third mechanism affects the rate of the mutations as the enzyme is replicating the amino acids in the virus genome. It varies in different viruses depending upon the enzyme stimuli that affect the rate of replication in the virus genome.
Similarly, in the case of influenza, the changes occurred in its hemagglutinin gene. As a consequence, hemagglutinin changes the antigen site in the influenza virus. The mutant virus can cause disease by affecting the individual immunity towards the virus. The rate of changes in the amino acids determines the likely spread of disease among people who lacks immunity towards the altered influenza virus. The drift in the antigen of influenza can reduce the immunity of the patient by weakening the natural defense towards the influenza virus and even to those who are immune to influenza before the alternation in its amino acids.
The recent case of mutations is in omicron the new variants were able to change the structure of nucleic acid as result finding a cure has become challenging for the scientists and immunologists. The vaccine is not effective in containing the risk of the spread of the omicron variant in the world. The scientists are working to minimize the effect of the omicron new variant by developing a counter mechanism to tackle the omicron variant spread. The enzyme is changing the amino acid which forms the base of the virus genome. These alternations change the nature of the virus and its responsiveness to the vaccine.
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