CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus Smallpox, a once highly lethal contagious disease, has been eradicated worldwide. However, research continues with stored samples of variola, the smallpox virus, because it is a potential weapon in bioterrorism. Human cells protect themselves from the variola virus (and other viruses) by activating genes that encode protective proteins. It has recently been discovered that in response to variola, human cells create small transitory stretches of Z-DNA at sites that regulate these genes. The smallpox virus can bypass this cellular defense mechanism by specifically targeting the segments of Z-DNA and inhibiting the synthesis of the protective proteins. This discovery raises some interesting questions: What is unique about Z-DNA that might make it a specific target during viral infection?

Question

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Answer 1

Textbook Question

Chapter 9, Problem 1CS

CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus

Smallpox, a once highly lethal contagious disease, has been eradicated worldwide. However, research continues with stored samples of variola, the smallpox virus, because it is a potential weapon in bioterrorism. Human cells protect themselves from the variola virus (and other viruses) by activating genes that encode protective proteins. It has recently been discovered that in response to variola, human cells create small transitory stretches of Z-DNA at sites that regulate these genes. The smallpox virus can bypass this cellular defense mechanism by specifically targeting the segments of Z-DNA and inhibiting the synthesis of the protective proteins. This discovery raises some interesting questions:

What is unique about Z-DNA that might make it a specific target during viral infection?

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Students have asked these similar questions

unu grow because auxin is still produced in the tip to Another of Boysen and Jensen's experiments included the use of mica, explain why one of the shoots was able to show phototropism and the other was not. Mica Wafer Ligh c. They then t but this time permeable n shoot. Why phototropis Light Mica Wafer Coleoptile tips Tips removed: agar Explain why the shoo direction after the ag the cut shoot, even t

Discussion entries must be at least 250 words to fulfill the assignment requirements. You must complete your entry before you will be able to see the responses of other students. Responses to other students are encouraged but not required. Grading for discussion entries will be based on application of course concepts, proper grammar, and correct punctuation. Read one the attached article and explore the Human Development Index (https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI). In your opinion, is the Human Development Index a good measure of the well- being of the people of a nation? Are the items measured in the HDI valid and relevant in the modern global economy? How are they related to the political economy of a nation? The attached articles propose some alternative measures of well-being. In your opinion, are there other measures of well-being that might be better alternatives to the items in the current HDI?

A patient visits her doctor with symptoms typical of a bladder infection. She is immediately prescribed an 800 mgdose of antibiotic (bioavailability = 1/2, t½ = 12 h). The corresponding plasma concentration of drug is found to be 96 micrograms/ml. What is the volume of distribution of this drug? Please round to the nearest liter.

Answer 2

Textbook Question

Chapter 9, Problem 1CS

CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus

Smallpox, a once highly lethal contagious disease, has been eradicated worldwide. However, research continues with stored samples of variola, the smallpox virus, because it is a potential weapon in bioterrorism. Human cells protect themselves from the variola virus (and other viruses) by activating genes that encode protective proteins. It has recently been discovered that in response to variola, human cells create small transitory stretches of Z-DNA at sites that regulate these genes. The smallpox virus can bypass this cellular defense mechanism by specifically targeting the segments of Z-DNA and inhibiting the synthesis of the protective proteins. This discovery raises some interesting questions:

What is unique about Z-DNA that might make it a specific target during viral infection?

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 3

Textbook Question

Chapter 9, Problem 1CS

CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus

Smallpox, a once highly lethal contagious disease, has been eradicated worldwide. However, research continues with stored samples of variola, the smallpox virus, because it is a potential weapon in bioterrorism. Human cells protect themselves from the variola virus (and other viruses) by activating genes that encode protective proteins. It has recently been discovered that in response to variola, human cells create small transitory stretches of Z-DNA at sites that regulate these genes. The smallpox virus can bypass this cellular defense mechanism by specifically targeting the segments of Z-DNA and inhibiting the synthesis of the protective proteins. This discovery raises some interesting questions:

What is unique about Z-DNA that might make it a specific target during viral infection?

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 4

Textbook Question

Chapter 9, Problem 1CS

CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus

Smallpox, a once highly lethal contagious disease, has been eradicated worldwide. However, research continues with stored samples of variola, the smallpox virus, because it is a potential weapon in bioterrorism. Human cells protect themselves from the variola virus (and other viruses) by activating genes that encode protective proteins. It has recently been discovered that in response to variola, human cells create small transitory stretches of Z-DNA at sites that regulate these genes. The smallpox virus can bypass this cellular defense mechanism by specifically targeting the segments of Z-DNA and inhibiting the synthesis of the protective proteins. This discovery raises some interesting questions:

What is unique about Z-DNA that might make it a specific target during viral infection?

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 5

Textbook Question

Answer 6

Textbook Question

Answer 7

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Answer 8

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Answer 9

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 10

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 11

Summary Introduction

To review:

The uniqueness of the Z-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that results in the targeting of these segments during a viral infection.

Introduction:

The variola virus is known to cause contagious disease smallpox in humans. The cells in the human body shows an immune response against the virus by activating genes, which encode for protective proteins. These proteins are known to be regulated by the segments of Z-DNA. Recent discoveries have been made regarding the capability of the variola virus to inhibit the synthesis of protective genes by targeting the Z-DNA segments.

Answer 12

Explanation of Solution

The Z-DNA is discovered by the Andrew Wang, Alexander Rich, and their colleagues in 1979 during the examination of a small synthetic DNA fragment, which contains only G ≡ C base pairs, having a left handed double helix configuration. The variola virus is a brick-shaped large virus that has double-stranded DNA that is linear. The virus has multiple infectious forms that are attained during a life cycle. The disease is spread by inhalation of airborne virus. The Z-DNA is an alternate form of DNA that has a left-handed helix with a diameter of 1.8 nm. There are 12 base pairs per turn. The Z-DNA forms zig-zag confirmation.

It was observed that the variola virus was unable to affect human cells because of the formation of protective proteins. These proteins were formed on the activation of the specific genes when the body was exposed to the virus. The cells of the human body create stretches of this alternate form of DNA on exposure to the virus. These stretches are introduced at the site where the genes can be regulated.

The unique helical arrangement of the Z-DNA provides an important site for recognition for interaction with other molecules. As the stretches of the DNA are formed on exposure to the virus, it is considered to play a role in the formation of protecting protein coded for fighting the infection. This might make Z-DNA the specific target during viral infections.

Answer 13

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the left-helical structure of the Z-DNA makes it a target site for the virus.

Answer 14

Ch. 9 - CASE STUDY |Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus...Ch. 9 - CASE STUDY | Zigs and zags of the smallpox...Ch. 9 - CASE STUDY | Zigs and zags of the smallpox...Ch. 9 - CASE STUDY | Zigs and zags of the smallpox virus...Ch. 9 - HOW DO WE KNOW? 1. In this chapter, we have...Ch. 9 - Review the Chapter Concepts list on p. 160. Most...Ch. 9 - Discuss the reasons why proteins were generally...Ch. 9 - 4. Contrast the various contributions made to our...Ch. 9 - When Avery and his colleagues had obtained what...Ch. 9 - Why were 32P and 35S chosen in the Hershey–Chase...

Concept explainers

Videos

Explanation of Solution

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Chapter 9 Solutions