Mutations occur at random and can increase within a population for no particular purpose. Our immune system is capable of detecting and killing certain viruses. Would a virus, such as HIV, that has a frequent rate of mutation be more or less successful in avoiding the immune system? Explain.

Question

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Answer 1

Textbook Question

Chapter 15, Problem 1TC

Mutations occur at random and can increase within a population for no particular purpose. Our immune system is capable of detecting and killing certain viruses. Would a virus, such as HIV, that has a frequent rate of mutation be more or less successful in avoiding the immune system? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

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A strain of Neisseria gonorrheae has recently acquired the ability to be resistant to the antibiotic penicillin. Evidence indicates that this is not a new mutation but rather a gene received from another bacterium. After the new genetic information recombines with the genome, how would gonorrheae use the DNA to resist the action of penicillin? The gene would be transcribed into RNA and then translated into protein. The gene would translated into protein and then transcribed into RNA. The gene would be recognized as a mutation and repaired. The gene would be released from the N. gonorrheae as naked DNA.

Answer 2

Textbook Question

Chapter 15, Problem 1TC

Mutations occur at random and can increase within a population for no particular purpose. Our immune system is capable of detecting and killing certain viruses. Would a virus, such as HIV, that has a frequent rate of mutation be more or less successful in avoiding the immune system? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

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Answer 3

Textbook Question

Chapter 15, Problem 1TC

Mutations occur at random and can increase within a population for no particular purpose. Our immune system is capable of detecting and killing certain viruses. Would a virus, such as HIV, that has a frequent rate of mutation be more or less successful in avoiding the immune system? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

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Answer 4

Textbook Question

Chapter 15, Problem 1TC

Mutations occur at random and can increase within a population for no particular purpose. Our immune system is capable of detecting and killing certain viruses. Would a virus, such as HIV, that has a frequent rate of mutation be more or less successful in avoiding the immune system? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

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Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 5

Textbook Question

Answer 6

Textbook Question

Answer 7

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

Answer 8

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.

Conclusion

High rates of mutation are helpful for HIV virus in avoiding the immune system of the host.

Answer 9

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 10

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 11

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Whether a virus (such as HIV) having a frequent mutation rate would be more successful or less successful in avoiding the immune system.

Introduction:

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) virus is known to cause AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans. This disease weakens the immune system of the body and it makes it prone to other life-threatening and opportunistic infections. HIV is a retrovirus having RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material.

Answer 12

Explanation of Solution

The mutation rate of HIV virus is one million times faster than that of human genome. It generates diversity among the viral population. This high mutation rate of HIV virus facilitates its survival in the host. The host environment is very complex for the virus as it has limited target cell availability, antiviral immune response, and the host also takes anti-retroviral therapies. Even then, the frequent mutation rate of virus allows it to survive in the host body. Thus, it makes the virus more successful in avoiding the immune system.