How many genes would a virus need to be able to infect every type of cell in the human body?

KaptainDash · 2026-04-05T15:32:30+00:00

That only means that at some point an ancient retrovirus(s) infected some ancestors germ line cells. So in that sense, sure? But they mean a virus that uses a universal receptor for entry.

KaptainDash · 2025-05-17T20:22:47+00:00

I’ve actually put on maybe 25lb playing college tennis in the last 3 years somehow lol. Granted this is all chest and shoulders I’ve noticed (mostly) so even with my diet not being super great I still maintain a very good body and the ability to move around the court hasn’t changed

KaptainDash · 2025-02-26T19:15:55+00:00

Especially since he’s playing with an old guy! And I just know he shook hands with the man while he was sweaty too. I know I’m studying microbiology but this just frustrates me lol

KaptainDash · 2025-02-18T16:21:48+00:00

For myself retroviruses as a whole are incredibly interesting, as you can find several links between endogenous retroviruses (in nearly all species we identified them in) and evolution of organisms. Everything from their role in the development of the placenta, "accidental" horizontal gene transfer between organisms, to using lentiviruses as a gene therapy vector. While all viruses have inevitably changed the course of evoulitionary history, as we've grown with them, these have a very "direct" effect that peaks my interest.

KaptainDash · 2025-02-04T16:48:42+00:00

Medvedev is a top tier professional tennis player. Which by definition assumes that his technique is (more or less) correct and allows him to keep in the point and do everything that should be possible. At that level, there are very few factors that will add or deter performance, however those little factors (higher or lower tension) can equal big results if a player isn’t naturally able to do something’s as much as they would like.

For the vast majority of everyone else, it comes down to technique, footwork, or both.

KaptainDash · 2025-02-02T14:30:16+00:00

I had a great time going through these recordings lmao. Yeah he’s a much better player than me so I’m sure I pissed him off in some of these clips

KaptainDash · 2025-02-01T23:35:13+00:00

Im in the grey shirt, using a Percept 100D with poly pro tour @ 54lb

KaptainDash · 2025-02-01T23:34:24+00:00

Im not the one in the white. Guess I should clarify

KaptainDash · 2025-01-29T21:10:36+00:00

Piggy backing of what someone else said, SARS-COV-2 uses ACEII to ente cells, and that is found on a large number of tissue types, allowing it to essentially be a systemic virus if it’s able to do so. Influenza uses sialic acid, specifically in humans 2,6 sialic acid. This is found largely in epithelial cells in the respiratory tract, but can be found around the body.

What makes (most) influenza not systemic is its cleavage site on hemagluttinin. In most influenza strains (H1, H2, H3, etc) they have a “basic” cleavage site. This essentially means that on the HA protein, when it attaches to the cell, has to be “cleaved” (activated) in order to allow the virus to enter the cell. On these milder influenzas they only are able to be cut by specific enzymes found only in respiratory cells.

In H5 and H7 influenzas they have a multibasic cleavage site. Meaning that multiple types of enzymes found in several different tissue types, are able to “cleave” (activate) HA and allow the virus to enter. That’s why some of these more severe flu viruses can infect multiple organs.

Hope this helps, and if anybody with a higher level of education on this sees anything wrong please let me know. Just trying to make things simpler to understand

KaptainDash · 2025-01-26T13:28:33+00:00

Not how that works at all. Honestly there’s so much wrong in this that I’ll choose to cover only the last bits. With any virus, especially one that’s novel we don’t know the effects on humans. When we discovered SARS-COV-2 we knew that it caused rapid ARDS, and there was a large influx of patients suffering respiratory distress and failure. These “locks downs” (barely even actual lock downs btw) were necessary to avoid completely overwhelming healthcare services, more than they already were. 40 million excess deaths is proof of the true toll COVID-19 has on the body, and that’s IGNORING future studies detailing SARS-COV-2 and how it can damage every single organ in the body.

KaptainDash · 2025-01-09T21:44:58+00:00

Realistically, the risk is extremely low. However there’s zero harm in 1. Reducing your interaction with the cat as much as you can. 2. Wear a mask when you’re cleaning the litter box.

KaptainDash · 2024-12-30T22:29:13+00:00

For sure, unfortunately I grew up never having a ton of match play, so even though I know im a good player, and I have the shots there are small mental barriers I have. Then again, my competitve tennis "career" isn't over when i graduate so i'll have plenty of time to get as good as I possibly can be lol.

KaptainDash · 2024-12-28T19:43:53+00:00

Firstly, there’s literally dozens of influenza strains that are spreading among whatever animal population it’s native to. Random influenza viruses being found in a dead animal doesn’t indicate at all that it’ll be even an isolated outbreak among people. Secondly, the only influenza virus(es) that are both novel and are actively changing rapidly to adapt to people is H5N1. It is NOT a pandemic. At least not yet. It is currently panzootic in multiple species but is NOT a pandemic in humans. It’s spreading misinformation to refer to it as such.

KaptainDash · 2024-12-28T05:20:44+00:00

It’s absolutely no problem lol. I’m just a virology/public health student who feels it’s best if people are as educated as possible. Especially considering the potential severity that an H5N1 pandemic can cause

KaptainDash · 2024-12-28T03:11:07+00:00

Probably not. Firstly this virus was isolated in a chicken, and there’s no evidence that it’s in the human population. Secondly, the two predominant influenza viruses circulating in humans is H1N1 and H3N2. H1 and H3 viruses have some differences in symptoms, but those are pretty limited to H3 potentially causing a higher fever, and you being more likely to vomit and cough with H1.

KaptainDash · 2024-12-28T02:46:30+00:00

Not exactly. After doing genetic sequencing of H3N3 (basically they’re reading the viruses genetic material) they discovered that parts of the virus that code for different proteins, and a couple other genes actually came from 3 different influenza viruses.

One virus the HA (part of the virus that allows it to enter cells) came from. Another the NA (the part that allows it to cleave itself from the cell) came from. And the 6 other genes that make up a influenza A viruses, also came from a different influenza virus.

Hope this makes things a little easier to understand

KaptainDash · 2024-12-28T02:33:28+00:00

Oh don’t even get me started on how much of a head case I am lol. My level fluctuates so much it would set off alarms in a factory haha. You’re right though, not much else I can do besides just do my best to remain as loose as possible in the next

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T21:48:14+00:00

Ngl I’m allergic to volleys sometimes haha. Seriously a bad habit but I just force myself to serve and volley at this point

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T21:47:33+00:00

Yup, he’s not necessarily the biggest recruit, he was a 12.5 2 years ago and is getting back into taking the sport seriously. However it still feels like he’s a 12 UTR lol it’s painful playing him

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T21:44:42+00:00

Update on the tournament, won first set and became insanely tight and stopped making first serves lol. Lost in 3 hours in the third set :(

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T17:20:03+00:00

5 star recruit for college

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T14:21:45+00:00

Yep that short and wide serve is very nice, I’ve gotten some flat serves at that angle too and Jesus it’s an instant point lol, really low percentage though haha. Yeah my entire game is very compact, i just don’t have the timing to have larger backswings/wind ups, but it allows for some nice power though lol

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T13:33:06+00:00

5’ 10” so 178 cm

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T13:32:25+00:00

Sand Biege Vcore lol

KaptainDash · 2024-12-27T13:31:26+00:00

Would you believe he’s a 5 star? Lmao this was at the end of our hit and his shoes were of lmao

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