Expert: Walter Hintz - 1/27/2011

Question
Hello
I've only just today decided to do some research on the common cold and it's related virus strains (it gets mentioned somewhat often and because of this, I've never thought to look into this myself until now). What I want to ask you however is about a general concept that came together while I was reading about it.

Two things I came across while reading were:
1) that the virus strands which cause the cc rapidly mutate
2) that cc viruses are "self-limiting"

The second is the one that caught my eye and I was wondering how the two might correlate. The next thing that came to mind was a behavior shown in Conway's Game of Life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life) whereas a pattern will terminate (either remain static or disappear completely) after a period of mutation. Do you see this as (at least probably) comparable to a cc strain's 'life' cycle? The other possibility I came up with was that the mutations themselves may vary depending on small differences in conditions of the host cell, but if I remember right viruses are selective and are only able to reproduce through cells that correspond well enough with the virus, so there must be a predictable range of tolerance for how it will mutate.

Also....according to your profile you've been teaching for 50 years. That's incredible! I've never known someone who's been a teacher that long. Thank you very much for your time.
-Gabriel

Answer
Hi Gabriel
I am afraid that virology is outside my expertise.
The problem with virus particles is that they are non living entities and therefore are not subject to evolutionary processes.
I actually beginning my 59th year as a teacher. My allexperts profile was done some years ago.
I reached my 80th birthday in September

Sorry I could not help you more with your question but nobody knows everything. Right?