Absence of Replication-Competent Retrovirus in Vectors, T Cell Products, and Patient Follow-Up Samples

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...

Vector multiplication of two vectors yields a vector product, with the magnitude equal to the product of the individual vectors multiplied by the sine of the angle between both the vectors and the direction perpendicular to both the individual vectors. As there are always two directions perpendicular to a given plane, one on each side, the direction of the vector product is governed by the right-hand thumb rule.
Consider the cross product of two vectors. Imagine rotating the first vector about...

Two vectors can be multiplied using a scalar product or a vector product. The resultant of a scalar product is scalar, while with vector products, the resultant is a vector. These rules of the scalar or vector product between two vectors can be applied to multiple vectors to obtain meaningful combinations. The scalar triple product is the dot product of a vector with the cross product of two vectors.
The scalar triple product is the dot product of a vector with the cross product of two vectors....

Before a cell can divide, it must accurately replicate all of its chromosomes, including the DNA and its associated histone and non-histone proteins.  This process begins at numerous origins of replication during the S phase of the cell cycle in each of a cell’s chromosomes simultaneously. Certain nucleotides can act as origins of replication, but these sequences are not well defined - especially in complex, multi-cellular, eukaryotic species. The length of DNA that spans an origin...

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart,...