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Q17 - An Adenosine Analogue as a Filovirus Therapeutic

Theoretical A Real exam question - full text reproduced under IBO's CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
Nucleotide & Nucleic Acid Chemistry

Filoviruses, e.g. Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MAR), cause haemorrhagic fever. Case fatality rates are >90%, and among the highest reported for any human pathogen. Vaccine or therapeutic products are not available. Recently, however, researchers tested an adenosine analogue, BCX, which seemed to improve survival of filovirus-infected humans (Fig.). A, effect of BCX on viral RNA polymerase activity; B, inhibition of EBOV and MAR growth in infected stem cells treated with BCX; C, survival of infected mice after BCX treatments (Tx) administered up to 14 days, beginning either before infection (BI) or post-infection (PI) at varying delays.

Figure 1. Figure 1.

Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.

A. As an adenosine analogue, BCX affects viral gene transcription
B. BCX is applicable exclusively against ebola
C. BCX can successfully (>50% survival) be administered up to 10 days after Ebola infection
D. The half-maximal inhibition of BCX is achieved at a concentration of about 10 μM
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Question reproduced from IBO 2015, Theoretical Exam A, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Community solutions (unofficial)