Some of the most deadly human diseases work by worming their way
inside your DNA, attaching themselves to the cell's chromosomes.
This makes them almost impossible to remove. But a new molecule
designed to bamboozle rogue DNA could change everything. The HIV
virus is a good example of how cells can be damaged at the DNA
level. Once the virus binds itself to a cell, it injects RNA and
the enzymes necessary to create double-stranded DNA, which can
then be integrated into one of the chromosomes of the host cell.
This parasitic DNA can then lie dormant until it's ready to
start building new viruses, creating an almost impregnable
beachhead inside the body to continue the infection process.
Researchers at the University of Texas, led by chemistry
professor Brent Iverson, wanted to beat the rogue DNA at its own
game. So they've started working on molecules that can bind with
specific DNA so that that part of the double helix becomes
tangled, making it unable to carry out any genetic functions.
Their molecule, which