Viruses featuring RNA material are subject to rapid variations in form (also known as mutations). Certain types of viruses may adapt and change in order to keep replicating. The novel, Outbreak, was an international bestseller that tracked the devastation caused by a blood-borne (and possibly airborne) disease, which had the potential to mutate and become even more deadly.
Certain types of diseases have the capacity for mutations, and others do not. One example of a disease caused by gene mutation includes cystic fibrosis; people who inherit this disease are very unlucky, since they are the recipients of two mutant genes that trigger the syndrome.
New gene therapies and stem cell research, as well as DNA research and development, has resulted in breakthroughs in treating diseases or viruses caused by mutations. Although treatments such as stem cell-based solutions are the subject or great controversy, they do seem to point to a time in the future when all of our most common viruses and gene-based disabilities and illnesses may be cured.
Mapping and understanding gene mutations and virus mutations is very difficult, and only highly trained scientists can understand the processes and potential of mapping and studying mutant genes and mutant strains.
To learn more about mutations, pick up a book on genetics, biology, or modern medical science. Learning more about DNA, RNA, and gene mutations will lead to a fuller understanding of how diseases based on mutations come about, and exactly how they progress.
The best place to find up-to-the-minute information about mutations is in scientific journals; however, you may need to buy a subscription to these. Scientific American is one example of a scientific journal that does stories and reports on topics such as gene mutations and blood-borne and air-borne mutant viruses.
- Gene mutations cause diseases
Certain types of diseases have the capacity for mutations, and others do not. One example of a disease caused by gene mutation includes cystic fibrosis; people who inherit this disease are very unlucky, since they are the recipients of two mutant genes that trigger the syndrome.
- Treating diseases with stem cells
New gene therapies and stem cell research, as well as DNA research and development, has resulted in breakthroughs in treating diseases or viruses caused by mutations. Although treatments such as stem cell-based solutions are the subject or great controversy, they do seem to point to a time in the future when all of our most common viruses and gene-based disabilities and illnesses may be cured.
Mapping and understanding gene mutations and virus mutations is very difficult, and only highly trained scientists can understand the processes and potential of mapping and studying mutant genes and mutant strains.
To learn more about mutations, pick up a book on genetics, biology, or modern medical science. Learning more about DNA, RNA, and gene mutations will lead to a fuller understanding of how diseases based on mutations come about, and exactly how they progress.
The best place to find up-to-the-minute information about mutations is in scientific journals; however, you may need to buy a subscription to these. Scientific American is one example of a scientific journal that does stories and reports on topics such as gene mutations and blood-borne and air-borne mutant viruses.