Chapter 18, Problem 31A

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The reason why making of an antiviral drug is difficult for the viruses that reproduces through lysogenic cycle as compared to the lytic cycle.

Introduction:

The viruses are the small pathogen having nucleic acids and a protein capsule around it. The virus reproduces in the cell of the host and they use the resource of the host cells. They reproduce through two types of cycle, lytic and lysogenic cycle.

Explanation of Solution

The antiviral drug generally focusses on the disintegration of the viral genome in the host cells. The viruses that reproduce through the lysogenic cycle integrate their genome with the genome of the host DNA that leads to prophage. Due to this integration of the genome, it is difficult for the drug to kill the genome of the virus. Killing the genome of the virus in this case may cause harm to the host DNA too. Hence, the antiviral drug for these viruses are difficult.

In the lytic cycle the integration of the genome of the virus and the host cells doe not takes place. Hence, the drug that targets viral particles cannot affect the host cell. So, it becomes easier to remove virus that reproduce through lytic cycle.