VIRUSES AND APOPTOSIS

Virus infection and replication are often associated with apoptosis an d this effect is likely to be responsible for much of the pathology as sociated with infectious disease. Many viruses encode proteins which c an inhibit apoptosis thereby either prolonging the survival of infecte d cells such that the production of progeny virus is maximised or faci litating the establishment of virus persistence. These vira I proteins target the cellular pathways responsible for regulating apoptosis and have been instrumental in furthering our understanding of the apoptot ic process. Many of the viruses associated with oncogenic transformati on have adopted strategies for blocking apoptosis highlighting the cen trality of this effect in carcinogenesis. Understanding the mechanisms by which viruses regulate apoptosis may lead to the development of no vel therapies for both infectious disease and cancer.