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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Students have asked these similar questions

Is the following statement true? “Antigenic drift and other mutations to the DNA of viruses are always beneficial for the virus.” Yes, because mutated viruses are able to infect more hosts. No, because mutated viruses are may be less likely to replicate. Yes, because mutated viruses have less mRNA so they can copy and replicate faster. No, because different mutations cause a variety of immune responses. Stuck between 1st and 2nd answers. I think it's the 2nd, but would like confirmation. Thanks.

Why do scientists worry more about new strains of viruses like influenza and coronviruses as potential causes of deadly human pandemics, but they never talk about the next big Herpesvirus strain deadly pandemic? Which of the statements below helps partially answer that? We already have effective vaccines for Herpes. Influenza and CoV have more genes, more complex gene expression, and can undergo genetic recombination or reassortment, while Herpesviruses are more limited. Only humans get Herpesviruses, while animals can get Influenza viruses and Coronaviruses. dsDNA viruses aren't very transmissible and even when they are, they're not deadly. Influenza and CoV are RNA viruses which results in having higher mutation rates -- they can more easily jump between host species. Herpesviruses are dsDNA viruses and usually very host specific. O O O O

Please help with the following: New mutations are removed from the population by means of _____ due to the deleterious consequences of the disease (two words).

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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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.