It has been done, the retroviruses that carry oncogenes are examples of
this. As you may know, a number of retroviruses have incorporated sequences
from one or two different cellular genes. the viruses then transfer the
sequence to a secondary infected host and so on. The only genes that have
been thus identified, are those that cause malignancy when transfered to a
susceptible host. We can reasonably assume that this sort of gene
transduction by reverse transcription happens more frequently than observed
because, so far, we have only looked at transduced genes that cause malignancy.
For those who do not have a background in molecular biology, the above
scenario is, in fact, the basis for experimental and therapeutic gene
transfer. Basically, most genes, upon cloning, can be inserted into a
retroviral vector when then delivers the gene into the genome of infected
hosts.
Steve
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Steven S. Clark, Ph.D. Phone: (608) 263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: (608) 263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and email: ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53792
"Universities are full of knowledge; the freshmen bring a little in,
the seniors take none away...the knowledge accumulates." Mark Twain
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