Retroviral Method in Mice | Online Biotech Notes

 Retroviral Method in mice

• Retrovirus produces a DNA copy of its RNA genome using reverse transcriptase. This procedure requires the host cell to undergo the S phase of the cycle. Therefore retroviruses effectively transduce only mitotically active cells.
• Then the DNA copy of the viral genome integrates into the genome of the host cell without any deletions or rearrangements. Because integration is not by way of homologous recombination, this method is not effective for site directed mutagenesis

Retroviral Method in Mice

Disadvantages for Retroviral Method:-

• low copy number integration
• Additional steps required to produce retrovirus.
• Size of DNA can only be between 9Kb – 15Kb.
• Undesired genetic recombination might take place that may alter the retrovirus.

Advantages of Retroviral Method:

• It is non pathogenic in nature.
• There is a broad host and cell type tropism range.
• It has a ability to transducer both dividing and non dividing cells.
• They have a tendency to maintain high levels of gene expression.
• Vector proteins are not expressed in the host.

Nucleic acid delivery by retrovirus method (gene therapy):

• In this upcoming world the retroviral method is being widely used for the nucleic acid delivery to variety of cells in different experiments. 
• This method is mainly used in tissue culture or animal models. 
• This has also applied to clinical tests and to cure genetic diseases. 
• This system allows for the stable, heritable integration of a specific nucleic acid sequence into the target cell’s genome .
• Retroviruses are more prominent than any other DNA virus or any RNA virus. 
• These methods are made such that the therapeutic gene takes place of gag, pol or env. For curing AIDS here is an example.

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