Seeker of Truth
05-21-2003, 08:07 AM
SARS: Genetic Engineering/ Coronavirus Bio-Weapon
by THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE
RE: NEED TO MONITOR AND REGULATE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
In an experiment that involved one single genetic change, a team of
scientists in the Netherlands successfully created a new type of coronavirus.
In an article in Nature dated 2 April 2003, it was reported that the
scientists transformed a coronavirus that is lethal to cats into one that infects mouse cells by replacing a single gene from a mouse coronavirus.
"The result strengthens the idea that the SARS coronavirus might have arisen when an animal and human virus met and swapped genes," says the study's lead scientist, Peter Rottier of Utrecht University in the Netherlands. "It's a very plausible explanation," he adds.
The study shows that "viruses can easily switch their host range by switching genes," according to scientist Michael Lai of the University of Southern California. He adds that coronaviruses are unusual in that they can reshuffle genes easily.
The reference for the study is: Haijema, B.
J., Volders, H. & Rottier, P.J.M.
Switching species tropism: an effective way to manipulate the feline
coronavirus genome. Journal of Virology, 77, 4528 - 4538, (2003).
This raises once again the concern that research, in particular genetic engineering research conducted by scientists could create lethal viruses, deliberately or accidentally. (In 2001, Australian scientists reported that they accidentally created a killer version of a mousepox virus while experimenting on the virus that killed all the mice involved raising concern that a similar experiment on human viruses might create new lethal viruses with devastating consequences).
It is thus more than urgent now to put in place rigorous monitoring of such potentially dangerous research. We have attached below two articles that raises these questions for your consideration.
Lim Li Lin and Chee Yoke Heong
Third World Network
121-S Jalan Utama
10450 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
REF: Doc.TWN/Biosafety/2003/J
Item 1
Deadly virus effortlessly hops species
Genetic engineering helps reveal origin of deadly ‘flu
2 April 2003
HELEN PEARSON, Nature
A single genetic change could have created the deadly virus that has killed over 50 people and infected more than 1,600, a new study suggests.
A new type of coronavirus is thought to be behind the pneumonia-like disease dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Now, in a simple overnight experiment, researchers transformed a coronavirus that is lethal to cats into one that infects mouse cells by replacing a single gene1.
The result strengthens the idea that the SARS coronavirus might have arisen when an animal and human virus met and swapped genes, says the study's lead scientist, Peter Rottier of Utrecht University in the Netherlands. it could be a very plausible explanation, he adds.
Much mof this @ conspiracyplanet.com (http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid=8&contentid=863)
by THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE
RE: NEED TO MONITOR AND REGULATE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
In an experiment that involved one single genetic change, a team of
scientists in the Netherlands successfully created a new type of coronavirus.
In an article in Nature dated 2 April 2003, it was reported that the
scientists transformed a coronavirus that is lethal to cats into one that infects mouse cells by replacing a single gene from a mouse coronavirus.
"The result strengthens the idea that the SARS coronavirus might have arisen when an animal and human virus met and swapped genes," says the study's lead scientist, Peter Rottier of Utrecht University in the Netherlands. "It's a very plausible explanation," he adds.
The study shows that "viruses can easily switch their host range by switching genes," according to scientist Michael Lai of the University of Southern California. He adds that coronaviruses are unusual in that they can reshuffle genes easily.
The reference for the study is: Haijema, B.
J., Volders, H. & Rottier, P.J.M.
Switching species tropism: an effective way to manipulate the feline
coronavirus genome. Journal of Virology, 77, 4528 - 4538, (2003).
This raises once again the concern that research, in particular genetic engineering research conducted by scientists could create lethal viruses, deliberately or accidentally. (In 2001, Australian scientists reported that they accidentally created a killer version of a mousepox virus while experimenting on the virus that killed all the mice involved raising concern that a similar experiment on human viruses might create new lethal viruses with devastating consequences).
It is thus more than urgent now to put in place rigorous monitoring of such potentially dangerous research. We have attached below two articles that raises these questions for your consideration.
Lim Li Lin and Chee Yoke Heong
Third World Network
121-S Jalan Utama
10450 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
REF: Doc.TWN/Biosafety/2003/J
Item 1
Deadly virus effortlessly hops species
Genetic engineering helps reveal origin of deadly ‘flu
2 April 2003
HELEN PEARSON, Nature
A single genetic change could have created the deadly virus that has killed over 50 people and infected more than 1,600, a new study suggests.
A new type of coronavirus is thought to be behind the pneumonia-like disease dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Now, in a simple overnight experiment, researchers transformed a coronavirus that is lethal to cats into one that infects mouse cells by replacing a single gene1.
The result strengthens the idea that the SARS coronavirus might have arisen when an animal and human virus met and swapped genes, says the study's lead scientist, Peter Rottier of Utrecht University in the Netherlands. it could be a very plausible explanation, he adds.
Much mof this @ conspiracyplanet.com (http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid=8&contentid=863)