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Updated: Feb 12, 2026
18:10
Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
Published on: June 16, 2011
30.1K
Mapping the Evolutionary Potential of RNA Viruses.
Patrick T Dolan1, Zachary J Whitfield2, Raul Andino2
1Department of Biology, Stanford University, E200 Clark Center, 318 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, GH-S572, UCSF Box 2280, San Francisco, CA 94143-2280, USA.
Cell Host & Microbe
|April 13, 2018
Summary
New technologies allow scientists to track RNA virus evolution with high resolution, revealing how natural selection and genetic drift shape viruses and enabling prediction of future evolutionary events.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- RNA virus evolution is shaped by natural selection and genetic drift.
- Advancements in deep-sequencing and microfluidics offer unprecedented resolution in studying viral populations.
- Understanding viral evolution is crucial for predicting and preventing disease outbreaks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine emerging technologies for mapping viral selective landscapes.
- To focus on the application of these technologies to pathogenic viruses.
- To identify how these tools can improve the study and prediction of viral evolution.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing deep-sequencing and microfluidics for high-resolution analysis of viral populations.
- Employing single-genome and single-nucleotide resolution to trace viral evolution.
- Combining phylogenetic analyses with high-throughput evolutionary experiments.
Main Results:
- Experiments reveal the topography of genotype-fitness landscapes.
- High-resolution studies allow quantification of mutation effects and evolutionary paths.
- Parallel evolutionary patterns driving phenotypic transitions can be observed.
Conclusions:
- Emerging technologies provide a framework for quantifying and anticipating viral evolutionary events.
- These tools can enhance the study of pathogenic virus evolution.
- Improved understanding can lead to interventions to prevent viral diseases.
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