Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Triple

Maybe you can answer this. If Ebola has a protein envelope that supposedly lets it penetrate certain cells easier, does that same envelope affect survival outside the host? I have read that non-enveloped viruses have better survival.


70 posted on 10/16/2014 8:32:25 AM PDT by palmer (This comment is not approved or cleared by FDA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies ]


To: palmer

all viruses have a protein capsule or coat. This protein coat has the sites that help it recognize and bind to host cells and inject its viral DNA.

Some viruses, when they are expelled from the host cell, take with them an additional coating made of the infected cell’s membrane - a lipid coating.

These lipid coated viruses last longer outside the host, and are often harder for immune systems in the host to attack (because the cell membrane lipids act a bit like camo).

I think Ebola does not have this additional lipid coating - not sure. I never studied ebola. (Do you want to know about bacteriophage T2?)


73 posted on 10/16/2014 9:26:01 AM PDT by Triple (Socialism denies people the right to the fruits of their labor, and is as abhorrent as slavery)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson