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virology
virology study of viruses and their role in disease. Many viruses, such as animal RNA viruses and viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages , have become useful laboratory tools in genetic studies and in work on the cellular metabolic control of gene expression (see nucleic acids ). Because viruses can sometimes carry extra genetic material into host cells, they have been used to experimentally transfer genetic material, specifying a particular enzyme, into nuclei of mammalian host cells that lacked the ability to synthesize that enzyme. The ability of viruses to transfer genetic material has also been extensively studied in bacteria (see recombination ). Virus-mediated gene transfers are medically interesting because of the possibility that in the future enzyme-specifying genes might be transferred into humans with hereditary enzyme-deficiency diseases. Virus interference is a phenomenon in which host cells, while infected by one virus, are protected against infection by other viruses; the technique has been used experimentally as a form of temporary immunization. Interferon, a vast number of proteins produced by virus-infected cells that inhibits viral replication within the cell has been studied with a view toward preventing or controlling virus-caused diseases. Viruses continue to be investigated because they are held to be possible causative agents of some human cancers, and because under certain conditions the body's immune response to virus infection may cause tissue damage and develop into an autoimmune disease. Viruses can have high rates of mutations (point mutations) that keep them undetectable. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus associated with AIDS, is a retrovirus that appears to have mutated into a number of strains that attack the immune system and produce viral-induced immunosuppression. |
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"virology." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virology." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-virology.html "virology." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-virology.html |
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virology
virology Study of viruses. The existence of viruses was established (1892) by D. Ivanovski, a Russian botanist, who found that the causative agent of tobacco mosaic disease could pass through a porcelain filter impermeable to bacteria. The introduction of the electron microscope in the 1940s made it possible to view viruses. See also virus
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"virology." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virology." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-virology.html "virology." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-virology.html |
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virology
vi·rol·o·gy / vīˈräləjē/ • n. the branch of science that deals with the study of viruses. DERIVATIVES: vi·ro·log·i·cal / ˌvīrəˈläjikəl/ adj.vi·ro·log·i·cal·ly adv.vi·rol·o·gist / -jist/ n. |
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"virology." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virology." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-virology.html "virology." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-virology.html |
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virology
virology (vyr-ol-ŏji) n. the science of viruses. See also microbiology.
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"virology." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virology." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-virology.html "virology." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-virology.html |
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virology
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"virology." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virology." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-virology.html "virology." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-virology.html |
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Virology
VIROLOGYVIROLOGY. SeeMicrobiology . |
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"Virology." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Virology." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401804426.html "Virology." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401804426.html |
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Virology
Virology. See Biological Sciences.
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Paul S. Boyer. "Virology." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Paul S. Boyer. "Virology." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-Virology.html Paul S. Boyer. "Virology." The Oxford Companion to United States History. 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-Virology.html |
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