Ch.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big Role

Frost - General, Organic and Biological Chemistry 4th Edition

Frost4th EditionGeneral, Organic and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134988696Not the one you use?Change textbook

Frost 4th Edition

Ch.11 Nucleic Acids Big Molecules with a Big Role

Problem 78

Chapter 7, Problem 78

Provide a reason why there is no vaccine for the common cold.

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The common cold is caused by a variety of viruses, primarily rhinoviruses, but also coronaviruses, adenoviruses, and others. This diversity makes it challenging to target a single pathogen with a vaccine.

Rhinoviruses alone have over 100 different serotypes, each with distinct surface proteins. A vaccine would need to address this wide range of variations to be effective.

The immune response to rhinoviruses is typically short-lived, meaning even if a vaccine were developed, its effectiveness might not last long, requiring frequent booster shots.

The common cold is generally mild and self-limiting, so the cost and effort of developing a vaccine may not be justified compared to focusing on more severe diseases.

Research efforts are ongoing to better understand the immune response to cold viruses, but the complexity and variability of these viruses remain significant barriers to vaccine development.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Viral Diversity

The common cold is primarily caused by a variety of viruses, including rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and others. This diversity means that there are many different strains and types of viruses that can cause cold symptoms, making it challenging to create a single vaccine that would be effective against all of them.

Antigenic Variation

Viruses can undergo rapid changes in their surface proteins, a phenomenon known as antigenic variation. This allows them to evade the immune system, as the antibodies generated from previous infections or vaccinations may not recognize the new variants, complicating vaccine development for the common cold.

Mild Nature of the Illness

The common cold is generally a mild illness that resolves on its own without severe complications. Due to its low morbidity and mortality rates, there is less incentive for pharmaceutical companies and researchers to invest in the development of a vaccine compared to more serious diseases.

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Textbook Question

Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a 13-amino-acid peptide hormone responsible for pigmentations in hair and skin. Its peptide sequence is shown.

SYSMQHFRWGKPV

a. How many nucleotides would be found in the mRNA for this protein?

Textbook Question

Oxytocin is a small peptide hormone involved in the process of birthing and lactation. It contains the nine amino acids shown.

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a. How many nucleotides would be found in the mRNA for this protein?

Textbook Question

In sickle-cell anemia, a base substitution in the hemoglobin gene replaces glutamate (a polar amino acid) with valine. Why does the replacement of one amino acid cause such a drastic change in biological function?

Textbook Question

A base substitution changes a codon for an enzyme from GCC to GCA. Why is there no change in the amino acid order in the protein?

Textbook Question

How is CRISPR different from earlier recombinant DNA techniques?

Textbook Question

A base substitution for an enzyme replaces leucine (a nonpolar amino acid) with alanine. Why does this change in amino acids have little effect on the biological activity of the enzyme?