Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
Published on: June 16, 2011
RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, viruses, and RNA silencing
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Institute for Molecular Virology, 1525 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. ahlquist@facstaff.wisc.edu
Abstract:
Most viruses have RNA genomes that are replicated and transcribed into messenger RNA by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps), usually in concert with other viral and host factors. Many, if not most, eukaryotes also encode putative RdRps that have been implicated in sequence-specific, RNA-triggered gene silencing. Although the viral and cellular RdRps have no sequence homology, they share functional similarities such as copying messenger RNA templates and intercellular spread of the amplified sequences. Better understanding of viral and host RdRps will improve our ability to control viruses and to use RNA silencing and viruses as tools for research, biotechnology, and medicine.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
Experimental RNAi
Viruses with RNA Genomes
Inhibitors Of Virion Release

