Another article, titled “BioTerrorism and SARS” and authored by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, explores further the possible link between the disease and genetic engineering.
In a section subtitled “Genetic engineering super-viruses,” Ho writes:
“While the epidemic has still to run its course, a report appeared in the Journal of Virology, describing a method for introducing desired mutations into coronavirus in order to create new viruses. A key feature of the procedure is to make interspecific chimera recombinant viruses. It involves replacing part of the spike protein gene in the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) -- which causes invariably fatal infections in cats -- with that of the mouse hepatitis virus. The recombinant FIPV will no longer infect cat cells, but will infect mouse cells instead, and multiply rapidly in them. “These and other experiments in manipulating viral genomes are now routine. It shows how easy it is to create new viruses that jump host species in the laboratory, in the course of apparently legitimate experiments in genetic engineering. * * *
“It is not even necessary to intentionally create lethal viruses, if one so wishes. It is actually much faster and much more effective to let random recombination and mutation take place in the test tube. Using a technique called ‘molecular breeding’ (see ‘Death by DNA shuffling,’ this series), millions of recombinants can be generated in a matter of minutes. These can be [screened] for improved function in the case of enzymes, or increased virulence, in the case of viruses and bacteria.
“In other words, geneticists can now greatly speed up evolution in the laboratory to create viruses and bacteria that have never existed in all the billions of years of evolution on Earth.”
But ... then you knew this already ... ???
I have some extra tinfoil left over, if you need it.