In order for this experiment to be a success, the scientists had to create a virus that specifically attacks cancer cells and not normal cells. In order for the virus to be considered as a cancer-terminating virus, it had to have four main parts: the viral gene itself (Ad.5), PEG-3Gene that works as a cancer radar or otherwise known as progression elevated gene, E1AGene that regulates replication in viruses and MDA-7.

 

They created this specialized virus through a process known as viral construction[2]. First the virus broken down by an enzyme. The enzyme opens up a space in the virus. Then MDA-7 and PEG-3Gene that works as a cancer radar are introduced into the virus and the viral vector is closed making the gene part of the virus[2].

 

Like discussed before, in order for the virus to be called as a cancer-terminating virus, it must have four parts. The virus before the exposure to the restriction enzyme already contained Ad.5 and E1AGene that regulates replication in viruses or adenoviral early region 1A which is gene expressed during the replication of the virus inside the cell[1][2]. The researchers simply added MDA-7 and PEG-3Gene that works as a cancer radar to the viral vector to complete the cancer-terminating virus. However, the question arises, how does this genetically modified virus decide which cell is cancerous and which cell isn’t.