Mechanisms of viral mutation

Abstract

The remarkable capacity of some viruses to adapt to new hosts and environments is highly dependent on their ability to generate de novo diversity in a short period of time. Rates of spontaneous mutation vary amply among viruses. RNA viruses mutate faster than DNA viruses, single-stranded viruses mutate faster than double-strand virus, and genome size appears to correlate negatively with mutation rate. Viral mutation rates are modulated at different levels, including polymerase fidelity, sequence context, template secondary structure, cellular microenvironment, replication mechanisms, proofreading, and access to post-replicative repair. Additionally, massive numbers of mutations can be introduced by some virus-encoded diversity-generating elements, as well as by host-encoded cytidine/adenine deaminases. Our current knowledge of viral mutation rates indicates that viral genetic diversity is determined by multiple virus- and host-dependent processes, and that viral mutation rates can evolve in response to specific selective pressures.

Cited by papers we hold 11

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• Mutation Rates, Mutation Frequencies, and Proofreading-Repair Activities in RNA Virus Genetics · 2021
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• Virus Detection: A Review of the Current and Emerging Molecular and Immunological Methods · 2021
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• Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 mutations in the United States suggests presence of four substrains and novel variants · 2021
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• The Role of Temperature in Shaping Mosquito-Borne Viruses Transmission · 2020
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• Biased Pol II fidelity contributes to conservation of functional domains in the Potato spindle tuber viroid genome. · 2020
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• SARS-CoV-2 Bound Human Serum Albumin and Systemic Septic Shock · 2020
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• Integrative analyses of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from different geographical locations reveal unique features potentially consequential to host-virus interaction, pathogenesis and clues for novel therapies · 2020
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• Variant analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes · 2020
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• Viral quasispecies · 2019
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• A majority of HIV persistence during antiretroviral therapy is due to infected cell proliferation · 2018
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