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Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
Published on: June 16, 2011
Evolution in Oryctes baculovirus: rate and types of genomic change
1Molecular Biology Facility, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract:
Three cloned strains of Oryctes baculovirus were released into a previously unexposed population of the host insect, the coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros. The experiment was conducted on Meemu Atoll in the Maldive Islands. Viruses were isolated from the beetle population at 1 year, 1.75 years, and 4 years after release. No changes in genotype were observed in viruses isolated after 1 and 1.75 years. After 4 years, however, three types of genomic change had occurred. A recombinant derived from two of the released strains, an isolate containing a 100-bp insert, and one example of a point mutation were found in the 22 isolates examined.
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