Vector (biology) 58086 225256452 2008-07-12T18:54:07Z 141.153.130.89 In [[epidemiology]], a '''vector''' is an [[organism]] that does not cause [[disease]] itself but which transmits [[infection]] by conveying [[pathogen]]s from one [[Host (biology)|host]] to another. A classic example is the [[Anopheles| anopheles mosquito]] which acts as a vector for the disease [[malaria]] by transmitting the malarial parasite [[plasmodium]] to humans. In this case [[plasmodium]] is harmless to the mosquito (its [[intermediate host]]) but causes the disease [[malaria]] in humans (its [[definitive host]]). In [[molecular biology]] and [[genetic engineering]] a '''vector''' is a vehicle for transferring genetic material into a cell. A [[viral vector]] is a virus which has been modified to [[transduction (genetics)|transduct]] specific genetic material into a cell, e.g. for [[gene therapy]]. A [[Plasmid#Vectors|plasmid vector]] is made by splicing a [[DNA construct]] into a [[plasmid]]. Various techniques are then used to [[Transfection|transfect]] the plasmid into the cell.<!-- It could say e.g. lipofectamine but it's mentioned in the link --> ==Epidemiology== There are two types of vector that convey infectious organisms to a host: mechanical and biological. Microbes do not multiply within mechanical vectors - mechanical vectors only physically transport microbes from host to host. In contrast, microbes must propagate within a biological vector before the biological vector can transmit the microbes. *[[mosquito]] ([[malaria]], [[St. Louis encephalitis]], [[dengue fever]], [[yellow fever]], [[West Nile virus]]) *[[flea]] ([[bubonic plague]]) *[[tick]] ([[Lyme disease]], [[rocky mountain spotted fever]], [[Tick-borne meningoencephalitis|tick-borne encephalitis]]) *[[deer mouse]] ([[hantavirus]]) *[[kissing bug]] ([[Triatominae]]) ([[Chagas Disease]]) *[[bat#As vectors for pathogens|bat]]([[Rabies]]) ==Molecular biology== {{Main|Vector (molecular biology)}} ===Cell transformation and gene therapy=== *[[adenovirus]] *[[adeno-associated virus]] *[[tobacco mosaic virus]] (plants) *[[cytomegalovirus]] *[[bacteriophage]] ([[bacterium|bacteria]]) *[[viral vector]] ===DNA=== *[[SV40]] (Simian virus 40) *[[Plasmid]] *[[Yeast artificial chromosome]] ([[Chromosome walking]], [[Positional cloning]]) *[[Bacterial artificial chromosome]] ([[Shotgun sequencing]]) ==See also== *[[Vector DNA]] *[[Vector (disease)]] ==References== * {{cite news |url=http://www.who.int/malaria/vectorcontrol.html |title=Vector Control |publisher=[[World Health Organization]], Global Malaria Programme |accessdate=2007-05-30}} * {{cite news |url=http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/glossary.htm#v |title=Malaria Glossary |publisher=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |accessdate=2007-05-30}} [[Category:Scientific classification]] [[Category:Biological hazards]] [[Category:Parasitology]] [[da:Vektor (biologi)]] [[de:Vektor (Biologie)]] [[es:Vector (biología)]] [[fr:Vecteur (biologie)]] [[id:Vektor (biologi)]] [[he:וקטור (ביולוגיה)]] [[lt:Vektorius (biologija)]] [[nl:Vector (celbiologie)]] [[pl:Wektor (medycyna)]] [[pt:Vector (epidemiologia)]] [[sl:Vektor (genetika)]] [[fi:Vektori (biologia)]] [[sv:Vektor (biologi)]] ==External links== * [http://www.genetherapynet.com Gene Therapy Net] * [http://vectorbio.rutgers.edu The Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology]