Genomics, Vaccines & Weaponization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Genomics, Vaccines & Weaponization - Essay ExampleThe second step is to produce the recombinant proteins in E.coli bacteria, and this may range to round 350 proteins. These proteins are then purified and used in mice. The immune sera so obtained would be cool and would be assayed to determine their binding capacity with the proteins on the N. meningitides B bacteria to observe any winning of bactericidal activity in vitro. A few numbers of proteins can be taken that fuddle a high titer in all the assays. Here the protein succession variability was being canvass in the isolates of N. mengitidis B bacteria and from these the final candidates would be 2 vaccines that met all the criteria should be selected and had no sequence variability. This can undergo phase 1 clinical trial (Fraser 23-33). Robert Stevens was death from inhalation anthrax and was dying from the disease, in September 2001 following the 911 attacks. He had received a letter containing some strange pulverize and following coming in contact with this powder became ill. His body was taken to Northern Arizona University wherein biologist Paul Keim had invented a molecular biology technology of distinguishing one tenor voice of anthrax from another. Keim had collected about 88 strains of anthrax and tried to compare them with each of these. He compared the DNA (genome) of the bacteria and located for non-homogeneous genetic markers specifically 8 in number, and found that it had matched one that was used by the US soldiers for its vaccine studies as it was a highly virulent bacterium and could be used in bioterrorism. This strain was known as the Ames Strain and was first isolated from a cow in Texas in 1981 and was move to the USSAMRIID for research (US Department of Justice ). The bacteria had passed several hands of various laboratories. They later studied the unlikeness between the Ames anthrax bacteria and the bacteria that killed Stevens. They compared 5 million chemical letters present in 5000 genes. After doing all these studies, they found that the genome of the bacteria that was present in Stevenss body was the same as the Ames strain, and they could not identify specifically from which lab was the sample smuggled out and used by the terrorists. Mutations that the bacteria would undergo after being passed from one lab to another was being studied, but the scientist did not expose any differences. Finally they found that the genome of morph D of the bacteria did contain a large batch that was missing and this was caused by an altered chemical letter in the DNA. They zeroed down to 8 out of the kibibyte samples collected and this was traced to an army laboratory USAMRIID and the researcher involved was Bruce Ivins who had committed suicide after he was declared the prime suspect (PBS). Biological warfare is the use of biological agents or their toxins in order to pulverise human, animal and plant life and would be an act of terrorism or war. These b iological organisms are subject of reproducing on the hosts or are able to release toxic substances on the host, cause disease and in conclusion kill or cause critical illnesses in the host. Some of the biological weapons may actually be lethal, whereas other may be non-lethal but may have a disastrous effect. Further, by victimization infectious agents, the effect is even more disastrous and disease rapidly spreads from one individual to another, and drugs and vaccines that are required may not be immediately available. Most of such biological warfare agents are transmitted on contact or through