Human DNA in its normal state inside the cells (left) compared to its condition eight hours after it was affected by the cold ulcers (right)
Esther Gonzalez Al -Mila and Alvaro Castels Garcia
The virus, which usually causes cold sores, begins to reshape our genome within an hour of infection to enhance its growth, which scientists can benefit from to treat severe conditions.
Billions of people around the world suffer from infectionThe HSV-1, although many of them do not know this. It can be spread through other cold sores, saliva or even uninterrupted skin around the mouth.
After invading the host cells, the virus is repeated in the nucleus, where the genetic materials are stored inside the threads DNA. These strands wrap around proteins, with some areas that make up narrow coils, which leads to the disruption of genes inside them, while others form wider rings, where genes are active. In these improvised areas, proteins can relax and copy the DNA in the RNA, which codes the proteins that maintain the cell operation.
Previous studies have shown that the human genome It becomes tightly wrapped During HSV-1 infection, which The cell function may be disruptedBut it was not clear why this winding occurred.
To learn more, Alvaro Castles Garcia At Barcelona’s genetic organization, Spain and his team, his team photographed HSV-1 during the injury of human lung cells, using a microscope that can capture the 3500 times of 3500 times of strand of hair. “It is higher than most previous studies,” says Castles Garcia.
They found that within one hour of entering the virus CellsShe had already stole copying proteins away from human genome, confirming the results of previous studies.
But they also showed that this theft is what appears to be more compact DNA, which causes it to shrink to 30 percent of the pre -injury volume within eight hours of injury.
The virus also made a connection to specific areas of host genome that codes the copying proteins it steals, which prevents these areas from wrapping and enhancing the activity of genes within them that help them grow.
“We are used to thinking that he called our genome randomly,” says team member. Esther GonzalesAlso at the genetic organization center. “But the virus is able to contact our jeans in specific areas, and these areas usually housed genes that participate in the continuity of infection, in making RNA and viral proteins.”
In another part of the study, the researchers found that the use of a drug for experimental cancer to prevent one of the copy proteins that HSV-1 stole from repetition in the human lung cells in the laboratory. This indicates that the drug can help treat HSV-1 in people with severe cold sores or those who have a suppressed immunity system and are considered more likely to be complicated. Most moderate cases are usually left to get rid of their own.
It can even work against others VirusesLike glandular viruses, which cause colds, and vibrant virus, which causes chickenpox. Other similar viruses told HSV-1 that may use similar strategies, “says other HSV-1. Benjamin Krishna At Cambridge University. “There is a possibility that they are [sorts of experimental drugs] “They can also treat them,” he says.
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