Question

You notice that cells injected with the Spike mRNA are making a descent amount of Spike protein but are growing slower compare to your control un-injected cells.
A. Explain why the injected cells are growing slower? (2 points)

Answer 1

On injecting cells with the Spike m RNA of the virus, the ribosome of the host cell now engages to form proteins from this mRNA as the virus from which the spike mRNA has come does not have its own Ribosome and other factors associated with translation. As the host machinery is now engaged in spike protein formation, it is no longer being able to produce its own proteins required for growth and development. So the injected cells are growing slower than the uninjected cell where the host machinery is still engaged in producing proteins required for its own growth and development.

As a result in injected cells the spike protein is produced in large number and not the self proteins of the host cell , while in uninjected cells there is no formation of spike protein and only host proteins are made and cells grow faster than the injected ones.