Do viruses auto regulate? See this

[syzygy]

I thought the following article from Virology Journal (http://www.virologyj.com/home) would be of interest. Hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), and other viruses that replicate via RNA intermediaries, cause an enormous burden of disease and premature death worldwide. These viruses circulate within infected hosts as vast populations of closely related, but genetically diverse, molecules known as "quasispecies". The mechanism(s) by which this extreme genetic and antigenic diversity is stably maintained are unclear, but are fundamental to understanding viral persistence and pathobiology. The persistence of HCV, an RNA virus, is especially problematic and HCV stability, maintained despite rapid genomic mutation, is highly paradoxical. This paper presents the hypothesis, and evidence, that viruses capable of persistent infection autoregulate replication and the likely mechanism mediating autoregulation--Replicative Homeostasis--is described. Replicative homeostasis causes formation of stable, but highly reactive, equilibria that drive quasispecies expansion and generates escape mutation. Replicative homeostasis explains both viral kinetics and the enigma of RNA quasispecies stability and provides a rational, mechanistic basis for all observed viral behaviours and host responses. More importantly, this paradigm has specific therapeutic implication and defines, precisely, new approaches to antiviral therapy. Replicative homeostasis may also modulate cellular gene expression.

[Califia]

Little viral policemen and little viral shopkeepers....   (sorry!)

[carolhab]

yes - I can see them all sitting around working on peace treaties and forming a 'United Virusus' program, and NGO's and non-profit organisations!! I wish our world could co-habitate as well as these little buggers seem to.  sorry for the bad humor - must be the drugs...

[Califia]

What I'm getting is that these viruses behave tribally.   Each virus is actually a large population of quasispecies  (all differently mutated from the same original stock) and this guy speculates that there is some discoverable mechanism which enforces stability within all that diversity  (homeostasis).  Friendly little buggers, these RNA viruses, that enjoy a peaceful communal life....all the little quasispecies flourishing together.  It's touching, really.

[carolhab]

thanks - I would love an explanation too... Is it good news or  bad?
sammy

[nanniegea]

Sorry, I don't have a clue either!!! But would love an explanation...

[hepcgetlost]

Huh??? I know I have brain fog, but I was feeling fairly lucid tonight, until I tried to read this...Can anyone tell me what it says? Judi

[cuteus]

LOL!!
I got as far as "quasispecies" and got lost after That! I read it three times just in case...

[honey1616]

LOL,,,I agee with Cuteus,,,What does that mean??

[cuteus]

can someone translate this to plain English?