Viral vector

Viral vector

A viral vector is a tool commonly used by molecular biologists to deliver genetic material into cells. This process can be performed inside a living organism (in vivo) or in cell culture (in vitro). Viruses have evolved specialized molecular mechanisms to efficiently transport their genomes inside the cells they infect. Delivery of genes by a virus is termed transduction and the infected cells are described as transduced.

Types of viral vectors

Retroviral vectors

Retroviral vectors, derived from retroviruses, are one of the most commonly used types of viral vectors. Retroviruses are a type of virus that replicates its RNA genome by reverse transcription to produce DNA, which is then integrated into the host's genome.

Adenoviral vectors

Adenoviral vectors are derived from adenoviruses, which are DNA viruses that do not integrate their DNA into the host genome. Instead, the DNA forms a separate episome in the nucleus of the host cell, where it is transcribed and translated.

Adeno-associated viral vectors

Adeno-associated viral vectors are derived from adeno-associated viruses. These vectors are unique because they can integrate their DNA into a specific site in the human genome.

Applications

Viral vectors have many applications in various fields such as gene therapy, vaccine development, and basic biological research.

See also

• Gene delivery
• Gene therapy
• Vaccine
• Molecular biology

References

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