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| About Base Pairs & Chromosomes of Influenza Virus
About Base Pairs & Chromosomes of Influenza Virus
by Douglas Christian Larsen
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Overview
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The influenza virus contains eight segments of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA), which accounts for all of its genetic material. These RNA "building blocks"---like miniature chromosomes---determine the behavior of the virus, how it spreads, how virulent it is, and who or what is its host.
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Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
A single RNA strand is like a ladder with one leg---unlike Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), a ladder with two legs---the rungs stick out without being attached to a second strand, with the rungs emerging from and connecting four different bases: adenine, uracil, guanine and cytosine.
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Base Pairs
The "base pairs" are the genetic RNA building blocks. In DNA, there is a base on either side of the rungs of the. The sequence of these RNA bases are the determining factors of the attributes of the virus itself---its genetic makeup.
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Mutation
While DNA contains a self-correcting mechanism that discourages mutation in the virus, RNA does not have the same fail safe, which ensures that the RNA virus, such as influenza, will mutate.
RNA does not discourage mutation
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Reassortment
When two different viruses come into contact there is the potential of the two combining together---reassorting---establishing a reassorted virus with entirely new base pairs, with an entirely new virus appearing.
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The Virus Attacks
From the new book "The Fatal Strain" by Alan Sipress: "The virus itself is a microscopic sphere, studded with two types of these proteins. One is the 'Hemagglutinin,' a spiky protrusion that the virus uses to break into the cells of its host. The other is the mushroom-like 'Neuraminidase,' which the virus uses to break out again."
