Buzz
Researchers are once again in the spotlight, this time for developing novel viruses and bacteria within lab settings. Typically, they focus on modifying existing or dormant microorganisms to create strains capable of bypassing our immune defenses, vaccines, and medications.
On occasion, they opt to engineer entirely new microorganisms from the ground up. While these creations may not always pose a threat to humans, they can be fatal to animals such as mice and even other bacterial species.
10. Horsepox
Researchers at the University of Alberta engineered horsepox, a dangerous virus closely linked to the equally lethal smallpox. While smallpox affects humans, horsepox is only harmful to horses. This virus was developed during a six-month study funded by the pharmaceutical company Tonix. By ordering DNA fragments online and assembling them, the team successfully created the virus. Remarkably, the entire process was cost-effective, with the DNA fragments costing just $100,000.
The study sparked controversy upon its release. Many scientists feared that governments or terrorist groups could exploit this knowledge to produce smallpox for use as biological weapons. A smallpox outbreak today could be catastrophic, as vaccination programs ceased after the disease was eradicated in 1980.
The research team explained that their goal was to develop more effective smallpox vaccines. Tonix later announced the creation of a smallpox vaccine using the horsepox virus. Critics argued that the team could have isolated horsepox from wild horses instead of synthesizing it. Tonix responded that they would have pursued this route if they had known natural sources were available. Lead researcher David Evans emphasized that recreating the virus was necessary because naturally sourced horsepox could not be commercialized.
9. Black Death
From 1347 to 1351, a mysterious illness swept through Europe, claiming the lives of over 50 million people. This disease, now identified as the Black Death, is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. While the Black Death still exists today, its virulence has significantly diminished.
Several years ago, researchers from institutions such as the University of Tubingen in Germany and McMaster University in Canada reconstructed the deadly bacteria using DNA obtained from the teeth of a plague victim. Despite extracting only 30 milligrams of the bacteria, it was sufficient to recreate the pathogen.
This breakthrough allowed researchers to confirm that the ancient bacteria is directly related to the modern strain of the Black Death. While some scientists previously argued that the bacteria were different strains, it is now established that they are the same. The modern version has become less deadly due to mutations over time.
8. Polio
Similar to the work at the University of Alberta, scientists at the State University of New York synthesized a dangerous virus by ordering DNA fragments online. This time, they recreated polio, which proved to be as infectious as the natural strain. Mice exposed to the synthetic polio exhibited symptoms identical to those caused by the natural virus.
The synthetic polio virus sparked significant debate among scientists. The team responsible for its creation utilized genetic sequences from publicly accessible databases, raising concerns that individuals with malicious intent could replicate the process. Unlike more complex viruses such as smallpox, polio’s simplicity makes it an easier target for artificial reconstruction.
While smallpox’s genetic sequence spans 185,000 base pairs, polio’s is a mere 7,741. Despite being on the verge of eradicating polio globally, experts worry that vaccination efforts must continue due to the potential for the virus to be artificially recreated.
7. Mousepox
Several years ago, scientists at the Australian National University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) accidentally engineered a highly lethal variant of mousepox. This virus, related to both horsepox and smallpox, was an unintended result of their experiments.
The researchers were initially working on a contraceptive solution for mice when the mishap occurred. They introduced a gene responsible for producing interleukin 4 (IL-4) into the mousepox virus and administered it to vaccinated mice, which were expected to remain unharmed. However, the modified virus proved unexpectedly deadly.
Contrary to the researchers' expectations of inducing infertility in mice, the altered virus became lethal, obliterating the rodents' immune systems and causing death within nine days. This new strain of mousepox was so potent that it bypassed vaccine protections, resulting in the death of half the vaccinated mice exposed to it.
The team was so alarmed by their creation that they hesitated to publish their results. They even consulted the Australian military to assess the safety of releasing their findings. Experts worry that a similar modification using IL-4 could make human smallpox far more deadly. While no one has attempted this yet, many believe it’s only a matter of time before such an experiment is conducted.
6. SARS 2.0
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly dangerous virus. During the 2002-2003 outbreak, it claimed over 700 lives and infected 8,000 individuals across 29 countries. Scientists have now engineered an even more lethal version of this virus.
A team led by Dr. Ralph Baric at the University of North Carolina developed this enhanced SARS strain, dubbed SARS 2.0. By incorporating specific proteins into the natural SARS virus, they created a variant resistant to existing vaccines and treatments.
The research team argued that their work was essential, as the natural SARS virus could evolve to resist current vaccines. By engineering a more virulent strain, they aimed to develop more robust vaccines capable of protecting against a potential future SARS outbreak. This preparation is crucial if the natural virus ever undergoes such a mutation.
However, other researchers expressed concerns that SARS 2.0, intended to prevent a deadly epidemic, could inadvertently trigger one if it were to escape laboratory containment.
5. MERS-Rabies Virus Hybrid
Researchers have developed a hybrid virus combining MERS and rabies. The goal is to use this engineered virus to create a vaccine effective against both diseases. Rabies, a fatal illness, is typically transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected dogs via bites.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a relatively new virus that emerged in Saudi Arabia several years ago. It shares similarities with SARS and is transmitted from bats to camels, eventually infecting humans. During its initial outbreak, MERS affected 1,800 individuals and claimed over 630 lives, with a fatality rate of approximately 35 percent.
As noted earlier, SARS infected more than 8,000 people during its 2003 outbreak but resulted in just over 700 deaths. While SARS caused a higher total number of fatalities, its fatality rate is lower than that of MERS, standing at around 10 percent. Currently, there is no vaccine available for MERS.
To engineer the MERS-rabies hybrid, scientists extracted specific proteins from the MERS virus and integrated them into the rabies virus. This hybrid was then used to develop a vaccine that provided mice with immunity to both rabies and MERS. Researchers believe this vaccine could also protect humans and camels at risk of contracting MERS.
4. Phi-X174
Phi-X174 is a synthetic artificial virus developed in laboratories by researchers at the Institute of Biological Energy Alternatives in Rockville, Maryland. Designed to mimic the natural phiX virus, it belongs to the bacteriophage family, which targets and destroys bacteria. Importantly, it poses no threat to humans.
The team engineered this artificial virus in just 14 days, and it is virtually indistinguishable from its natural counterpart. The researchers envision this breakthrough as a foundational step toward creating modified and synthetic bacteria that could be harnessed for human benefit.
3. H1N1 Virus
In 1918, a devastating flu pandemic swept the globe, caused by the H1N1 virus. By the time it subsided, an estimated 100 million lives had been lost. The virus caused blood to infiltrate the lungs of its victims, leading to bleeding from the nose and mouth before they ultimately drowned in their own blood.
The flu reemerged in 2009, though it was less deadly despite being more potent than expected. Scientist Yoshihiro Kawaoka collected samples of the mutated strain responsible for the 2009 outbreak and engineered an even more dangerous version resistant to vaccines. This new strain closely resembled the one that caused the 1918 pandemic.
Kawaoka’s initial goal was not to create a more lethal flu strain but to replicate the original virus to study its mutation and ability to evade immune defenses. The engineered virus is now stored in a lab, posing a significant risk if it were ever accidentally released.
2. Bird Flu
Dutch researchers have developed a mutated and more dangerous version of the already deadly bird flu. While natural bird flu rarely spreads among humans, the altered strain was modified to enhance its transmissibility. To test the virus, scientists exposed ferrets, which exhibit similar symptoms to humans when infected with bird flu.
After ten generations, the already-modified virus underwent further mutation, becoming airborne—a trait absent in natural bird flu. This study sparked significant controversy within the scientific community, especially when the Dutch researchers sought to publish the methodology for creating this lethal strain.
While some scientists worry that terrorists could exploit this research to develop a biological weapon capable of wiping out half the global population, the researchers argue that their work is crucial for preparing against a potential bird flu epidemic.
1. Unnamed Virus
Scientists from University College London and the National Physical Laboratory have engineered an unnamed virus that mimics real viruses and targets bacteria. Like phi-X174, it is a bacteriophage but far more potent.
The unnamed virus aggressively targets nearby bacteria, breaking into smaller fragments that latch onto and puncture holes in the bacterial walls. These holes rapidly expand, causing the bacteria to leak their internal contents and ultimately leading to their demise.
Despite its formidable effectiveness, the unnamed virus poses no threat to humans and showed no signs of attacking human cells during testing. However, it can infiltrate human cells similarly to natural viruses. Researchers aim to leverage this discovery for treating and studying bacterial infections in humans, as well as exploring its potential for human gene modification.
