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Evolution of RNA virus in spatially structured heterogeneous environments
J M Cuevas1, A Moya, S F Elena
1Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Departament de Genètica, Universitat de València, València, Spain.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|November 26, 2003
Summary
Viral adaptation to diverse host tissues is complex. Migration between cell types reduces viral fitness, with adaptation favoring tissues closer to the initial infection site.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Mathematical Biology
Background:
- Multicellular hosts present heterogeneous environments for RNA viruses.
- Viral populations must adapt to diverse cell types within these hosts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate viral adaptation dynamics in heterogeneous environments.
- To model and experimentally test viral evolution in structured cell populations.
Main Methods:
- Developed a mathematical model for viral population dynamics.
- Evolved vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in vitro on a three-cell-type spatial environment.
Main Results:
- In the absence of gene flow, viral adaptation was tissue-specific.
- Increased migration rate decreased viral fitness across all tissues.
- Viral performance in a tissue was negatively correlated with its distance from the initial population site, a correlation that diminished with higher migration rates.
Conclusions:
- Viral adaptation to heterogeneous multicellular hosts is influenced by migration and spatial structure.
- Tissue-specific adaptation is constrained by gene flow and proximity to the origin.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting viral spread and evolution.