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Related Concept Videos

Retroviruses02:33

Retroviruses

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
Microbial Phylogeny01:28

Microbial Phylogeny

Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...

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Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Viral phylodynamics.

Erik M Volz1, Katia Koelle, Trevor Bedford

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. erikvolz@umich.edu

Plos Computational Biology
|April 5, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Viral phylodynamics analyzes how epidemiological, immunological, and evolutionary factors shape viral genetic diversity. This field uses viral phylogenies to understand transmission, selection, and epidemic spread dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • * Viral phylodynamics integrates epidemiology, immunology, and evolutionary biology.
  • * Focuses on the interplay of these processes in shaping viral genetic variation.

Background:

  • * Viral phylodynamics emerged in 2004, initially focusing on transmission dynamics.
  • * Rapid viral genetic variation, especially in RNA viruses, is driven by short generation times and high mutation rates.
  • * Transmission routes and selection pressures significantly influence viral genetic patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate how epidemiological, immunological, and evolutionary processes impact viral phylogenies.
  • * To understand the influence of transmission dynamics on viral genetic variation.
  • * To explore the role of selection on viral phenotypes like virulence, transmissibility, tropism, and antigenicity.

Main Methods:

  • * Analysis of viral phylogenies to infer underlying epidemiological and evolutionary processes.
  • * Examination of transmission dynamics at cellular, host, and population levels.
  • * Study of selection acting on viral phenotypes.

Main Results:

  • * Viral phylogenies serve as a tool to investigate epidemic spread and spatio-temporal dynamics.
  • * Phylodynamic studies can elucidate zoonotic transmission events and tissue tropism.
  • * The field enables the study of antigenic drift and viral escape from host immunity.

Conclusions:

  • * Viral phylodynamics provides a quantitative framework for studying viral evolution and epidemiology.
  • * Understanding transmission and selection is key to interpreting viral genetic variation.
  • * The field offers insights into critical viral processes impacting public health.