Describe the conditions inside the cave. Why is this an unusual climate for a cave? Why is
it described as a good place for a virus to be preserved? Why would sunlight kill viruses?
Inside the cave it was very dry, dusty, dark and had no signs of dampness. Due to the fact that it’s dark makes it easy for viruses to replicate because sunlight and UV rays can kill them. Since the cave was dry viruses could survive compared to a cave that would be damp. This is unusual because most caves are cold and damp on the inside. The Kitum Cave is the best place for these viruses to survive due to these reasons. Light kills viruses by causing “mutations” in their DNA. Light disrupts the bonds that holds the DNA together. If a lot of light disrupts the DNA, then it will not be able to replicate. Which is why, these viruses are in the Kitum Cave because they hide in the dark to prevent themselves from dying. Also they can replicate and continue to infect more insects who come into the cave. Those insects will get infected, then the animals who eat insects will get infected and then us, the human race will eat the infected animal and become infected. If these viruses had been in a cave which was damp and had sunlight they wouldn’t have had a chance to live and things wouldn’t have been this worse. Citations: Silverman, Jacob. "How Can Light Kill Viruses?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015. .
I would like to add on to how sunlight kills viruses are killed by sunlight; in a sense, the same thing that happens to human skin cells happen to these viruses. Enough exposure to UV light really affects the DNA/RNA of the virus - this essentially leads to organism to be unable to halt its replication. However with high exposure, it leads to its capsid being damaged or may also be destroyed. A virus is pretty much just genetic material and protein (its capsid) so it won’t g surviving much afterwards. The virus is “deactivated” in a sense with exposure to light; this also prevents them from mutating (Silverman, 2007). In a sense, the cave is a great place for the virus as it will not be disturbed by light and can replicate easily.
Silverman, J. (2007, August 17). How can light kill viruses? Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/light-virus.htm
Inside the cave it was very dry, dusty, dark and had no signs of dampness. Due to the fact that it’s dark makes it easy for viruses to replicate because sunlight and UV rays can kill them. Since the cave was dry viruses could survive compared to a cave that would be damp. This is unusual because most caves are cold and damp on the inside. The Kitum Cave is the best place for these viruses to survive due to these reasons. Light kills viruses by causing “mutations” in their DNA. Light disrupts the bonds that holds the DNA together. If a lot of light disrupts the DNA, then it will not be able to replicate. Which is why, these viruses are in the Kitum Cave because they hide in the dark to prevent themselves from dying. Also they can replicate and continue to infect more insects who come into the cave. Those insects will get infected, then the animals who eat insects will get infected and then us, the human race will eat the infected animal and become infected. If these viruses had been in a cave which was damp and had sunlight they wouldn’t have had a chance to live and things wouldn’t have been this worse.
ReplyDeleteCitations: Silverman, Jacob. "How Can Light Kill Viruses?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015. .
I would like to add on to how sunlight kills viruses are killed by sunlight; in a sense, the same thing that happens to human skin cells happen to these viruses. Enough exposure to UV light really affects the DNA/RNA of the virus - this essentially leads to organism to be unable to halt its replication. However with high exposure, it leads to its capsid being damaged or may also be destroyed. A virus is pretty much just genetic material and protein (its capsid) so it won’t g surviving much afterwards. The virus is “deactivated” in a sense with exposure to light; this also prevents them from mutating (Silverman, 2007). In a sense, the cave is a great place for the virus as it will not be disturbed by light and can replicate easily.
DeleteSilverman, J. (2007, August 17). How can light kill viruses? Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/light-virus.htm