The Curious Strategy of Multipartite Viruses
Yannis Michalakis1, Stéphane Blanc2
1Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France;
Annual Review of Virology
|September 29, 2020
Summary
Multipartite viruses, with genomes in separate particles, adapt segment copy numbers for new hosts. Some function across cells, challenging traditional virology.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Genomics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Multipartite virus genomes, comprising multiple segments in distinct particles, are found in ~17% of known viral species.
- The distribution and evolutionary advantages of multipartitism across hosts and nucleic acid types are poorly understood.
- Maintaining genomic integrity in multipartite viruses presents significant challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on the distribution, advantages, and genome integrity of multipartite viruses.
- To explore how multipartite viruses adapt to different hosts and maintain their genetic material.
- To discuss the implications of multipartite virus biology for fundamental virology.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on multipartite viruses.
- Analysis of studies investigating host-specific adaptations and genome maintenance mechanisms.
- Synthesis of findings related to viral genome architecture and evolution.
Main Results:
- Multipartite viruses dynamically adjust segment copy numbers between host species, potentially benefiting from frequent host switching.
- Some multipartite viruses exhibit a 'multicellular' function, with segments complementing each other across different cells.
- These findings challenge established virological principles regarding genome organization and function.
Conclusions:
- Multipartite viruses display unique strategies for genome management and host adaptation.
- The ability of segments to function across cells offers a novel perspective on viral genome integrity.
- Further research is needed to fully understand genomic integrity maintenance during host-to-host transmission and the broader implications for multicomponent viral systems.
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