-
0
Question: How do viruses develop new strains of itself?#
- Keywords:
-
Nuru Noor answered on 19 Mar 2020:
Just like human cells are constantly replicating – sometimes spelling mistake occur when copying our genes – this might do nothing or sometimes lead to medical conditions like cancer.
In the same way – viruses are constantly replicating and the genes that can up the genetics of viruses can change and so new strains of virus can form
-
Robyn Kiy answered on 19 Mar 2020:
As Nuru has said, mistakes that occur during the replication of viruses can lead to altered genetics, and therefore new strains of the virus. This process in biology is known as ‘mutation’!
-
M S answered on 19 Mar 2020:
So theres 2 main concepts. Antigenic shift and antigenic drift. So lets split up the words first.
An antigen is basically the proteins on the outside of a virus. So whenever you see a picture of a virus you see these things sticking outside of the virus. Like spikes. These are antigens.
Basically they can be summarised as this.
– Antigenic drift: So imagine a drift of wind. Thats what antigenic drift is. Its when a virus makes small changes over time. Each time it replicates it makes small changes and over time changes these antigens on its surface
– Antigenic shift. Like the name suggests its a big shift! not as calm as a drift. So what you have here is much different. Its when different types of the same virus mix together. It happens much more quickly and the changes on the surface of the protein make a new type of virus.
This happened with swine flu a few years ago. The virus from pigs, birds and humans merged making a new type of virus.
Look at this for help!
-
Nathan Kindred answered on 19 Mar 2020:
Excellent answers here! Just to add, developing new strains allows viruses to adapt to different environmental conditions and compete with other viruses and bacteria 🙂
-
Ioana Grigoras answered on 20 Mar 2020:
I think the previous answers are great and I don’t really have anything else to add.
-
Sarah Clarke answered on 20 Mar 2020:
Like others have said, the virus spends its time making lots and lots of copies of itself. However sometimes some of the copies will have a mistake in them which makes a slightly different version of the virus. Over time the virus can look very different to how it did at the start (antigenic drift) – you can think of it a bit like a game of Chinese whispers were the message at the end sounds very different to the message at the start. Sometimes the virus will make a big change when it replicates and this can also make it look different (antigenic shift).
-
Related Questions
what do you think is the most deadly virus is ?
hey ricardo what is the worst virus you have come across?
What has been the hardest virus you'd had to deal with?
how is a virus cured? Is there anything to relief it?
How did the Coronavirus start?
have you ever gotten ill because of someone else?
Bc you probably working on Corona virus , is it as bad as news says?
Latest Questions
-
Is depression from brain injuries linked to physical damage to the brain, or psychological damage from the incident?
-
if atoms ,make up everything then what make up atoms
-
is there a cure for coronavirus (1 Comment)
-
How was covid-19 started? (1 Comment)
-
If an animal is constantly used for scientific experiments, could it begin to do certain things another one of its
-
why do you work with monkeys
-
How did you come out to the world with your sexuality?
-
do you like dinosaurs
-
Hope you like your new dog that you got on the weekend? (4 Comments)
-
What causes the development stage of children aged 4-5? This is the age majority of children have a sudden growth spert (2 Comments)
Latest Comments
-
🥇The Medical Research Zone winner is... (2 comments)
-
How was covid-19 started? (1 comment)
-
is there a cure for coronavirus (1 comment)
-
What was your favourite subject in school (other than science)? (1 comment)
-
What causes the development stage of children aged 4-5? This is the age majority of children have a sudden growth spert (2 comments)
Comments