Genetic meltdown

Genetic meltdown
A genomic crisis due to an extraordinarily high rate of mutation, a phenomenon known to occur in viruses and perhaps in other organisms. For example, the antiviral agent Ribavirin acts by inducing genomic meltdown. The drug accelerates the already-high mutation rate of RNA viruses, creates a genomic crisis, and destroys the infectivity of the virus. There is a limit to how much variation a genome can tolerate without irretrievably degrading its genetic information. If a population of viruses is replicating at the brink, just a bit of extra pressure from a mutagen, such as ribavirin, can nudge it into the abyss of genetic meltdown, resulting in an inability for it to replicate and survive.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Meltdown, genetic — A genomic crisis due to an extraordinarily high rate of mutation, a phenomenon known to occur in viruses and perhaps in other organisms. For example, the antiviral agent Ribavirin acts by inducing genomic meltdown. The drug accelerates the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Comrade Turbinski — Turbinski Ilioukhine (イリューヒン,, Iryūhin?), Comrade Turbinski in the English …   Wikipedia

  • List of organics in Transformers Animated — This is a list of non bot characters from the animated television series Transformers Animated. Contents 1 Human allies 2 Human villains 3 Other Humans 4 Aliens …   Wikipedia

  • Small population size — Populations with small population size behave differently to larger populations. Often this has various harmful consequences for the survival of that population.Demographic effectsThe influence of stochastic (random) variation in demographic… …   Wikipedia

  • environment — environmental, adj. environmentally, adv. /en vuy reuhn meuhnt, vuy euhrn /, n. 1. the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu. 2. Ecol. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors… …   Universalium

  • Economic Affairs — ▪ 2006 Introduction In 2005 rising U.S. deficits, tight monetary policies, and higher oil prices triggered by hurricane damage in the Gulf of Mexico were moderating influences on the world economy and on U.S. stock markets, but some other… …   Universalium

  • List of The Batman villains — The following is a list of the villains who have appeared in the Batman animated series, The Batman , their background in the show and their likely inspirations. NOTOC =Bane= * Voice Actor: Joaquim de Almeida (in Traction ); Ron Perlman (in Team… …   Wikipedia

  • Dino Crisis 3 — North American box art Developer(s) Capcom Production Studio 4 Publisher(s) …   Wikipedia

  • Plant evolutionary developmental biology — For a more ecological discussion on the evolution of plant morphology, refer to Evolutionary history of plants Evolutionary developmental biology (evo devo) refers to the study of developmental programs and patterns from an evolutionary… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Heroes characters — From left to right: Micah, Niki, Nathan, Peter, Noah, Claire, Hiro, Mohinder, Matt, Sylar This is a list of fictional characters in the television series Heroes …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”