Chimera (virus)
Encyclopedia
A chimera virus is defined by the Center for Veterinary Biologics (part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
) as a "new hybrid microorganism created by joining nucleic acid
fragments from two or more different microorganisms in which each of at least two of the fragments contain essential genes
necessary for replication."http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/cvb/notices/2005/23.pdf The term chimera
already referred to an individual organism
whose body contained cell
populations from different zygotes or an organism
that developed from portions of different embryos. In mythology
, a chimera
is a creature such as a hippogriff
or a gryphon
formed from parts of different animals, thus the name for these viruses.
In the Video Game "Prototype
", a chimera virus known as "Blacklight" spreads across New York City, with a strain known as DX-1118 giving the protagonist Alex Mercer, super human senses and shape-shifting abilities
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant health. APHIS is the lead agency for collaboration with other agencies to protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and...
) as a "new hybrid microorganism created by joining nucleic acid
Nucleic acid
Nucleic acids are biological molecules essential for life, and include DNA and RNA . Together with proteins, nucleic acids make up the most important macromolecules; each is found in abundance in all living things, where they function in encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information...
fragments from two or more different microorganisms in which each of at least two of the fragments contain essential genes
Gênes
Gênes is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Italy, named after the city of Genoa. It was formed in 1805, when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied the Republic of Genoa. Its capital was Genoa, and it was divided in the arrondissements of Genoa, Bobbio, Novi Ligure, Tortona and...
necessary for replication."http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/cvb/notices/2005/23.pdf The term chimera
Chimera (genetics)
A chimera or chimaera is a single organism that is composed of two or more different populations of genetically distinct cells that originated from different zygotes involved in sexual reproduction. If the different cells have emerged from the same zygote, the organism is called a mosaic...
already referred to an individual organism
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...
whose body contained cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
populations from different zygotes or an organism
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...
that developed from portions of different embryos. In mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, a chimera
Chimera (mythology)
The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
is a creature such as a hippogriff
Hippogriff
A Hippogriff is a legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a mare.- Early references :...
or a gryphon
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
formed from parts of different animals, thus the name for these viruses.
Fictional chimera viruses
- In Mission: Impossible IIMission: Impossible IIMission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
, the pharmaceutical corporation BioCyte engineers a chimera virus in order to create a need for the vaccine Bellerophon, which they had also previously created. The vaccine is only effective within twenty hours of exposure. - In the video game Resistance: Fall of ManResistance: Fall of ManResistance: Fall of Man is a first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game is set in an alternate history 1951, and follows Sgt...
and its sequels, Resistance 2Resistance 2Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on November 4, 2008, Japan on November 13, 2008, and in Europe on November 28, 2008...
and Resistance 3Resistance 3Resistance 3 is a 2011 science fiction post-apocalyptic first person shooter developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game is the third title in the Resistance series and is the sequel to the best-selling PlayStation 3 launch title...
, the chimera virus turns humans into a hostile alien-like species known as the Chimera. - In Rainbow SixRainbow SixTom Clancy's Rainbow Six is a media franchise created by American author Tom Clancy about a fictional international counter-terrorist unit called "Rainbow." The franchise began with Clancy's novel Rainbow Six, which was adapted into a successful series of tactical first-person shooter video games.-...
, Tom ClancyTom ClancyThomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
posits a plot by a biotech billionaire to wipe out humanity, using a strain of the EbolaEbolaEbola virus disease is the name for the human disease which may be caused by any of the four known ebolaviruses. These four viruses are: Bundibugyo virus , Ebola virus , Sudan virus , and Taï Forest virus...
virus altered by addition of colon cancer genes. The virus is called Shiva. - In Executive OrdersExecutive OrdersExecutive Orders is a political and military thriller novel by Tom Clancy. It was published in 1996, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe.-Plot summary:...
, also by Clancy, a previous biological warfareBiological warfareBiological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
attack had failed because- the Ebola virus quickly spreads through a small population, killing everyone, then "burns out" when it runs out of hosts. in reality Ebola has caused a number of small outbreaks but no large epidemicEpidemicIn epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
. - The U.S. government had launched an effective public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
response—led by the CDCCenters for Disease Control and PreventionThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
and epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
—which contained each outbreak and quarantined all patients. Despite ingenious use of aerosolAerosolTechnically, an aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. Examples are clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke. In general conversation, aerosol usually refers to an aerosol spray can or the output of such a can...
s to spread the virus at a number of large trade shows, only five thousand were killed.
- the Ebola virus quickly spreads through a small population, killing everyone, then "burns out" when it runs out of hosts. in reality Ebola has caused a number of small outbreaks but no large epidemic
- In the Canadian television show ReGenesis the first few episodes deal with an artificially created chimera virus that is a hybrid of ebolaEbolaEbola virus disease is the name for the human disease which may be caused by any of the four known ebolaviruses. These four viruses are: Bundibugyo virus , Ebola virus , Sudan virus , and Taï Forest virus...
and camel pox. - The Cobra EventThe Cobra EventThe Cobra Event is a 1998 thriller novel by Richard Preston describing a terror attempt on the United States by a lone man, the creator of a virus, called "Cobra", that mixes the incurable common cold with one of the world's most deadly diseases, smallpox...
, a novel by Richard Preston, features a chimeric virus that is a combination of a moth brain virus, the common cold, and smallpox. - In the Clive CusslerClive CusslerClive Eric Cussler is an American adventure novelist and marine archaeologist. His thriller novels, many featuring the character Dirk Pitt, have reached The New York Times fiction best-seller list more than seventeen times...
novel Black WindBlack WindBlack Wind is an adventure novel by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler. This book centers on a relatively new character to the book series, Dirk Pitt, Jr.-Plot introduction:...
a group of North Koreans attempt to unleash a chimera virus of HIV and smallpox on Los Angeles.
In the Video Game "Prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
", a chimera virus known as "Blacklight" spreads across New York City, with a strain known as DX-1118 giving the protagonist Alex Mercer, super human senses and shape-shifting abilities