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HIV Genome Decoded, Raising Hopes for Treatment

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 6, 2009 4:15 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The entire structure of the virus that causes AIDS has been decoded for the first time, a breakthrough that may eventually lead to effective treatments for the disease and others like it, Reuters reports. University of North Carolina researchers, using a new method they liken to zooming out on a map to get the big picture, say they believe the discovery will lead to effective new drugs for HIV and for other viruses that work through RNA rather than DNA, including influenza and the common cold.

The team plans to use the new understanding of HIV's structure to explore how it works and to see if changes can be made to the virus to stop it from replicating. "If it doesn't grow as well when you disrupt the virus with mutations, then you know you've mutated or affected something that was important to the virus," one researcher said. "We are also beginning to understand tricks the genome uses to help the virus escape detection by the human host."

Researchers believe their decoding of the HIV virus will pave the way for effective new drugs.
Researchers believe their decoding of the HIV virus will pave the way for effective new drugs.   (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A new chemical technique has allowed researchers to take a big picture look at the structure of the HIV virus.
A new chemical technique has allowed researchers to take a "big picture" look at the structure of the HIV virus.   (Shutter Stock)
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We are hopeful that this is going to open up many new opportunities for drug discovery. We have a big list of things we can try. - Lead researcher Kevin Weeks of the University of North Carolina

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
ArtfullyViscious
Aug 6, 2009 12:32 PM CDT
Awesome!
paul123
Aug 6, 2009 11:57 AM CDT
Very nice!
cognitivefilter
Aug 6, 2009 10:50 AM CDT
all around good news. also, has anyone seen this patent for curing aids, via tetrasilver tetroxide molecular crystal devices ? http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi...

The genome's shape is vitally important
Wired

 
drugs • AIDS • RNA • genome • University of North Carolina • pharmaceutical • HIV/AIDS • influenza • genetic research • rhinovirus

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