Question

explain what is meant by the following statement:

“All viruses mutate.  However, a mutated virus is not necessarily more dangerous.”

Include answers to the following questions:

What is a mutation?

Are most mutations helpful or harmful to a virus?  Why?

What would make a virus “more dangerous” to humans?

Answer 1

1) mutation is feature of virus to perform viral genetic changes in their own genome. Mutation occurs when an error is incorporated in the viral genome. High mutation rate create many viral variants.

2) the high mutation rate of the virus can be beneficial. Due to the lack of proof reading mechanism in a RNA virus, variants are constantly created. Therefore the adaptive capacity of the virus is enormous. Mutation can produce antigenic determinant viruses. The appearance of the antigenic novel virus is caused by antigenic drift. This effect cause disease in immune hosts.

Viral mutation rates are evolving in response to specific selective pressures. Some of the viral mutations are having neutral effects. The mutation of viruses depending on several factors. Proofreading, polymerase fidelity, cellular microenvironment, replication pattern etc... In the case of coronavirus, the environmental and host factors are dominant if the virus is mutated and the pathogenicity is low. It can lead to the destruction of the virus.

A specific answer is not possible. Sometimes the mutation can be beneficial and sometimes it can be harmful.

3) virus infect a human cell and RNA is released into the host cell. The RNA is taking control of the host genome and with the help of host mechanism more viral RNA is produced to to take control of other cells. Due to cell burst, the cell may destroyed and released to other cells.the viral rna produce as much as replicates possible in the host. Immune system is getting damaged in most of the cases. Some virus act Faster than the activity of the host immune system. In that case, disease will be caused and it could be fatal.