LIFESCIENCE: Scientists generate flu virus through gene technology

[Eduardo Kac <ekac@artic.edu>]

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ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL 99
LIFESCIENCE
Linz, Austria, September 04 - 09
http://www.aec.at/lifescience
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http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9908/02/flu.dna/index.html

Scientists generate flu virus through gene technology

                     August 2, 1999
                     Web posted at: 5:05 p.m. EDT (2105 GMT)

                     (CNN) -- Researchers have successfully
                     created the influenza A virus entirely
                     from genes.

                     The research, conducted at the
                     University of Wisconsin, could help in
                     understanding how flu strains mutate and
                     spread, and may aid in the development
                     of vaccines and gene therapies.

                     Findings reported in the August 3
                     Proceedings of the National Academy of
                     Sciences provide scientists with the
                     knowledge to manipulate any gene in the
                     virus's genetic profile.

                     "With this technology, we can introduce
                     mutations any way we want," said
                     virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka. "We can
                     control the virulence by mutating here,
                     there, anywhere. That could help us
                     generate a live vaccine that is also
                     stable."

                     Current flu vaccines are created from
                     "killed" influenza virus. A "live" vaccine
                     has the potential to be more effective.
                     The research may also lead to the
                     development of viruses to treat hepatitis
                     or cancer.

                     "We can make influenza virus containing
                     that kind of gene, and those viruses infect cancer
cells, and cancer cells will
                     die," Kawaoka said.

                     Scientists created the virus using plasmid
biotechnology. Plasmids, used to
                     transport genetic material from cell to cell, are
segments of DNA that can
                     replicate on their own.

                     The influenza virus has been difficult to generate due
to complex genetic code.
                     Until now, scientists could produce altered viruses,
but not new ones.

                     Researchers are now working to generate the influenza
B virus, another type
                     of influenza that causes illness.

                     Influenza infects about 40 million people in the
United States each year, killing
                     about 20,000. The virus can easily develop into
different strains, some more
                     dangerous than others.

                     Medical Correspondent Dr. Steve Salvatore contributed
to this report.

______________________________________________________________________

Eduardo Kac
Assistant Professor of Art and Technology
Art and Technology Department
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
112 S. Michigan Avenue, Room 414
Chicago IL 60603
Phone: (312) 345-3567
Fax: (312) 345-3565
E-mail: ekac@artic.edu

http://www.ekac.org

______________________________________________________________________

Research Fellow
Centre for Advanced Inquiry in the Interactive Arts,
University of Wales, Newport, UK
______________________________________________________________________


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