Having spent some time at a lab doing cutting edge HIV research I have to say that those "genes which help HIV infect and persist" in cells are also what makes HIV incurable. While we now understand the basics, we still don't understand all of the details. And given the ability of viruses to rapidly mutate and/or trade genes, the last thing I want is a permanent, incurable, but theoretically harmless, virus in my system which can mutate into something nasty or pick up new tricks from another more harmful virus I might come down with...
I'm all for continuing research in a secure facility, but until we have the ability to eradicate such a virus from the body I'd be very reluctant to have even a "harmless" virus with those genes added inserted into anyone who isn't already dying, and even then I'd have to think long and hard.
No, it is not necessarily the case that they are of the same species. Wolves are of species lupus, while dogs are of species familiaris. Yet wolf/dog crossbreeds product viable, -fertile- offspring.
Not Quite. Creatures of the same genus (one level up from species) are commonly able to mate and produce viable offspring. For example dogs & wolves are known as Canis Familiaris & Canis Lupus respectively, ie. they are of the same genus, but are of different species. They are also capable of producing offspring.
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I'm all for continuing research in a secure facility, but until we have the ability to eradicate such a virus from the body I'd be very reluctant to have even a "harmless" virus with those genes added inserted into anyone who isn't already dying, and even then I'd have to think long and hard.
No, it is not necessarily the case that they are of the same species. Wolves are of species lupus, while dogs are of species familiaris. Yet wolf/dog crossbreeds product viable, -fertile- offspring.
Not Quite. Creatures of the same genus (one level up from species) are commonly able to mate and produce viable offspring. For example dogs & wolves are known as Canis Familiaris & Canis Lupus respectively, ie. they are of the same genus, but are of different species. They are also capable of producing offspring.