> From: Ethan Strauss <IO00865 at MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
> In article <1994Oct5.001317.18360 at marlin.jcu.edu.au>,
robert at chironex.jcu.edu.au
> >In article <36r760$u7 at hermod.uio.no> ohungnes at bioslave.uio.no(Olav Hungnes)
...
> >Is there any evidence that amongst the (+)-strand virions there
are some
> >(-)-strand
> >containing particles also ?
>> I have actually done this experiment for Potato Virus X.
> To the limit of our ability to detect it (pretty small amounts)
> there is not - sense PVX packaged in with the + sense in the
virions.
A simple answer for that COULD be that the encapsidation signals -
especially for a filamentous virus like PVX - are wrong in the
(-)-sense (mirror-image secondary structure), so that nothing would
be encapsidated.
> About why - sense viruses exist I think that perhaps the best
answer
> is: Why not? Evolution just does whatever happens to work at the
> time, not what would be objectivly the "best".
Exactly...!!! Life itself may well be an example of "what works,
survives - however illogical". Why should viruses be any different?
_________________________________________________________________
| Ed Rybicki, PhD | Well, I tip my hat |
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