Question

Retroviruses are typically used for gene therapy approaches. The development of the retroviral packing cell lines was critical to the development of retroviruses as vectors for gene therapy. Explain how packing cell lines help to overcome the following problems

a) In order to fir therapeutic genes into retroviruses some of the viruses’ essential genes must be replaced by the therapeutic genes. How then, is the viruses able to multiply to produce the viral particles necessary to infect targets?

b) Wild-type retroviruses are often pathogenic-causing leukemia’s, solid tumors, and AIDS for example. How do packing cell lines help prevent productive retroviral infections from occurring?

Answer 1

a 1st Retrairuses RNA is converted into DNA by Reverse transeriptase enzyme. Then Viral ont integrated into Host chromosome. Using Host DNA viruses are able to maltiply to produce viral particles necessary to infect o targets. b. Disease causing genes of retrouruses are knockout before packing, that prevent retrovisal infections.