Comments on: The G7N1 Virus

By: Xenobiologista

Xenobiologista — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:50:32 +0000

Gamma globulin is a type of antibody made by humans and other mammals, also known as immunoglobulin G (IgG for short). Not a viral protein.

Some viruses have large outer proteins referred to as G for glycoprotein (it’s a generic name, what the glycoprotein actually is varies from virus to virus). These include rabies, which is the only virus I can think of that you can vaccinate against AFTER the victim has been exposed. Note, however, that this only works if you vaccinate them before onset of symptoms. Once they start showing symptoms it’s all over.

As far as I know rabies doesn’t have serotypes like flu does though.

By: Colin Smith

Colin Smith — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:50:31 +0000

I don’t have the comic before me, but is it possible that a specialist team working for Stark developed this vaccine? Tony has often had large numbers of folks working for him, often on really out-there projects. It might not be that Tony is a master at every science producing wonder-works across the board all-the-time, but rather a really good manager – as well as super-genius! – with inspiring ideas and the skill to get a team heading in the right direction. I prefer that to the idea that he’s great at EVERYTHING every moment of the day.

By: Dr Archeville

Dr Archeville — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:46:40 +0000

Another thought: the G is for “Gamma mutation-blocking.” The vaccine’s designed to prevent people from mutating into Hulk-like creatures if exposed to Gamma rays. Instead, they’ll just get cancer and die.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:51:11 +0000

Anu,
I caught that too, but ultimately decided that she meant that the vaccine she had previously received — while it may not have prevented the infection — at least mitigated it so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

Bryan L,
In the early Iron Man stories, Stark did his share of inventing medicines.

By: Karl Withakay

Karl Withakay — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:53:29 +0000

It may not mutate as fast as you think.

Maybe the 7th type is a recent mutation and is the only type to infect humans. Perhaps scientists recently discovered that the first 6 types have been around for thousands of years in an animal reservoir, not causing human disease, and some mad scientist with a head mirror created the 7th type in his evil laboratory.

Maybe G7-N1 is some new model of droid in Star Wars.

By: Dr Archeville

Dr Archeville — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:23:13 +0000

What proteins start with G that would be something a nasty virus could code?

*does a quick Wikipedia search*

Gamma globulin?! Could this vaccine an offshoot of some of Banner’s research?

By: Bryan L

Bryan L — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:14:03 +0000

I don’t read the book, so I don’t know the context, but is the remark directed at Stark? So his expertise extends to biology as well as chemistry, physics, ballistics, cybernetics, metallurgy … well, actually, when I put it that way, it doesn’t sound like so much of a stretch, does it? “Pepper, cancel my morning appointments, I need to master immunology before my afternoon golf outing with Reed Richards. I’m sick of him making fun of me.”

Ah, the Marvel Universe — where numerous geniuses master every aspect of knowledge within human experience, and quite a bit of alien science, too.

By: Anu

Anu — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:58:14 +0000

I think there’s something wrong with this anyway. She caught the virus and a vaccine saved her? Isn’t the point of vaccines that you don’t get the disease at all? And not used as a medicine for the actual disease? Or is an “ubi-vaccine” something totally different than a normal one?