gain of function
Engineered trait addition
Gain of function refers to genetic modifications that give an organism new or enhanced abilities it didn't have before.
The term appears most often in virology, where researchers deliberately alter pathogens to make them more transmissible or virulent: gain-of-function research on influenza viruses.
Such work aims to anticipate natural mutations but carries obvious biosecurity risks, making it controversial.
The phrase entered wider public discourse during debates over COVID-19 origins.
Permanent DNA alteration
- variantDiffering form of something
- alleleGene variant at one locus
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
fitness · selection · adaptation · enhancement · expression · penetrance · dominant · replication
Disease-causing microorganism
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- influenzaAcute viral respiratory infection
- H5N1Avian influenza subtype
- coronavirusSpike-ringed viral family
SARS · MERS · transmissibility · virulence · infectivity · airborne · spike protein · biosafety
Having two applications
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
- moratoriumTemporary prohibition or delay
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
transparency · accountability · biosecurity · bioterrorism · biowarfare · accident · risk-benefit · public health
Fancifully unreal, hybrid
- recombinantGenetically engineered combination
- in vitroIn an artificial environment
- in vivoWithin living tissue
- cell cultureLaboratory technique for growing tissue
animal model · ferret · mouse · containment · protocol · peer review
mutation
Permanent DNA alteration
- variantDiffering form of something
- alleleGene variant at one locus
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
genotype · fitness · selection · adaptation · enhancement · expression · penetrance · dominant · replication · attenuation
pathogen
Disease-causing microorganism
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- influenzaAcute viral respiratory infection
- H5N1Avian influenza subtype
coronavirus · SARS · MERS · transmissibility · virulence · infectivity · airborne · spike protein · biosafety · Wuhan
dual-use
Having two applications
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
- moratoriumTemporary prohibition or delay
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
regulation · transparency · accountability · biosecurity · bioterrorism · biowarfare · accident · risk-benefit · public health · debate
chimeric
Fancifully unreal, hybrid
- recombinantGenetically engineered combination
- in vitroIn an artificial environment
- in vivoWithin living tissue
cell culture · animal model · ferret · mouse · containment · protocol · peer review
- bioethicsbioethics, medical ethics, genetic engineering, beneficence, non-maleficence
- Genetic Mutationsmutations, point mutation, mutagenesis, gene mutation, nonsense
- lethal genetics
- COVID-19COVID-19, spike protein, mRNA vaccines, omicron, variants
- geneticsDNA, allele, genotype, genes, gene
- Policyeconomic policy, public policy, energy policy, tax policy, domestic policy
gain of functionvaccine development
Creating disease-preventing biological preparations
gain, gains, gained, gaining, gainer, gainers, gainful, gainfully, function