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NAT265 NEW Mx news Poliovirus advance sparks fears of data curbs Erika Check, Washington The recent laboratory synthesis of an infec- tious poliovirus is prompting fears among SCIENCE US biologists that the publication of results GETTY IMAGES deemed potentially useful to terrorists may be restricted. The virus was synthesized by a team led by virologist Eckard Wimmer at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The results, published online by Science on 11 July (J. Cello, A. V. Paul & E. Wimmer Science 10.1126/science.1072266), sparked media reports worldwide suggesting that similar techniques might be used by terrorists to synthesize the Ebola virus or even smallpox. For Eckard Wimmer, his results brought a ‘scary Culture shock: researchers have synthesized this Geneticists fear that the report — the first realization’ that viruses can be recreated. infectious poliovirus in the laboratory. demonstration that a published genome can be turned into an infectious virus — will been used to demonstrate the technique. sequence information. He claims that the encourage calls for a clampdown on the open Wimmer defends his group’s decision to latest research proves that the world can publication of gene sequences of viruses. publish, saying that they are only pointing never stop vaccinating against polio. “You US government officials have been floating out the fact that terrorists could misuse cannot eliminate a virus from existence,” he the idea of such restrictions since the terror- published data. “We’ve been criticized for says. “Somebody can always resynthesize it, ist attacks last autumn (see Nature 414, playing into the hands of a bioterrorist, but and that’s a scary realization.” 237–238; 2001). other groups have already written that this Experts say that it would be difficult — The authors of the paper came under fire could be done,” Wimmer says. He adds that but not impossible — to use Wimmer’s from some biologists for failing to offer any all the information used in the experiment is method to synthesize a large and complicat- defence of the open publication of scientific already publicly available. ed virus, such as smallpox. And because pox data — or to discuss the wider context — in Wimmer’s team started with the base-by- viruses carry their own replication machin- their paper. Critics argue that if restrictions base sequence of polio’s genome, which is ery they cannot co-opt human enzymes to on the publication of gene sequences are now made of RNA. But making RNA in a test tube reproduce themselves. This means that it implemented, they will cripple research into is difficult, so the researchers bought DNA would be impossible to recreate infectious countering dangerous viruses. corresponding to the RNA from a company smallpox using just viral DNA in an extract “I’m very worried they’re going to set off a that makes synthetic genes on demand. They from human cells, says Geoffrey Smith, a rash of bills that would criminalize scien- then used a naturally occurring enzyme to virologist at Imperial College, London. tists,” says Craig Venter, the former president convert this DNA template into RNA. When But Smith and others say that this of biotechnology company Celera Genomics added to a mixture of human proteins, the problem might be solved by adding replica- in Rockville, Maryland, and now head of RNA copied itself and made new, infectious tion enzymes from a different pox virus the J. Craig Venter Science Foundation, a polioviruses. to the mixture. And, they add, it would be non-profit group. Venter and other critics Wimmer has previously synthesized relatively easy to recreate smaller viruses say that a harmless virus, rather than infectious polioviruses, but used RNA iso- such as HIV or Ebola using Wimmer’s a human pathogen, could just as easily have lated from wild polioviruses, not from raw method. I Monkey smallpox trial suspended over painkiller use Erika Check, Washington The Food and Drug Administration A study of smallpox in monkeys has been (FDA) ruled in May that animal studies can suspended by the Centers for Disease be used to obtain regulatory approval for Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, drugs (such as smallpox therapies) that Georgia, because of concerns about animal cannot ethically be tested on humans. treatment. Jahrling says he expects the FDA will require The study, which began last year, is led experimental treatments to be given without by virologist Peter Jahrling of the US Army painkillers, and doesn’t want to press on with Medical Research Institute of Infectious a study that might be ineligible for approval. Diseases in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Jahrling A CDC spokesperson says that the infected cynomolgus macaques with two institution’s animal-care committee had strains of smallpox virus in an attempt to mandated that all the animals in the study develop a monkey model for testing new should receive painkillers at a certain point, therapies for the disease. But last week, the but “word had not gotten to all the vets CDC suspended the study after Jahrling involved”. The spokesperson says that the Peter Jahrling has clashed with vets over when and veterinarians clashed over when the agency hopes to resolve the issue at a meeting animals in his study should receive painkillers. monkeys should receive painkillers. with institute researchers on 16 July. I NATURE | VOL 418 | 18 JULY2002 | www.nature.com/nature © 2002 Nature Publishing Group 265.
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