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Oncogenic viruses cause cancer by disturbing the host cell cycle in which way?
ABy destroying the host cell nucleus fast
BBy adding oncogenes that drive cell growth
CBy swapping host ribosomes for viral ones
DBy blocking every host DNA repair enzyme
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. By adding oncogenes that drive cell growth
1. An oncogenic virus is one with the ability to cause cancer.
2. It works by interfering with the normal regulation of the host cell cycle.
3. One route is to introduce genes that stimulate unregulated cell growth, which are oncogenes.
4. The other route is to interfere with the expression of genes that inhibit cell growth.
5. Either way the cell divides without its usual brakes, and a tumour can follow.
6. Destroying the nucleus would kill the cell rather than let it divide, so that option defeats itself.
7. Both DNA and RNA viruses can be oncogenic, and neither route involves replacing ribosomes.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 21 "Viruses", section 21.2 Virus Infections and Hosts_
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