Can viruses directly cause a genetic mutation on a strand of DNA

Subject: Can viruses directly cause a genetic mutation on a strand of DNA

Date: Sun Feb 4 08:44:06 2007
Posted by No name entered.
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Genetics
ID: 1170603846.Ge

Message:


I am currently studying AS Biology and have asked my Biology teachers how 
viruses cause genetic mutations, however no one can give me an answer that is 
as in depth as I would like. I know that to reproduce, Viruses inject their own 
DNA in to living cells. Therefore if DNA replication/translation is taking 
place within the cell at that time, is it possible for the virus DNA to be 
mistakenly used in the process causing mutations to occur in translation of the 
cell DNA?

Re: Can viruses directly cause a genetic mutation on a strand of DNA

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