Answer:
Viruses used in gene therapy are retroviruses, adenoviruses, adeno-associated virus, herpes simplex, and vaccinia. Retroviruses are most commonly used because they can incorporate their genetic material into the host cell’s DNA, thus changing the genetic component of that cell.
Explanation:
Gene therapy is a medical field which focuses on the genetic modification of cells to produce a therapeutic effect or the treatment of disease by repairing or reconstructing defective genetic material. The first attempt at modifying human DNA was performed in 1980 by Martin Cline, but the first successful nuclear gene transfer in humans, approved by the National Institutes of Health, was performed in May 1989. The first therapeutic use of gene transfer as well as the first direct insertion of human DNA into the nuclear genome was performed by French Anderson in a trial starting in September 1990. It is thought to be able to cure many genetic disorders or treat them over time.
