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Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

37.7K
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...
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Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
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Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs01:05

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs

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A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
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Mutations in Microorganisms01:18

Mutations in Microorganisms

277
Mutations are heritable changes in an organism’s genome involving alterations in the base sequence of DNA or RNA. These changes can influence cellular processes and phenotypic traits, potentially transforming the unaltered wild type into a mutant form. Such changes, termed forward mutations, are pivotal in shaping the genetic diversity of organisms.RNA viruses exhibit the highest mutation rates due to the absence of robust proofreading mechanisms during genome replication. In contrast,...
277
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

60.9K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
60.9K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 20, 2025

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
18:10

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Published on: June 16, 2011

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Mutation rates and selection on synonymous mutations in SARS-CoV-2.

Nicola De Maio1, Conor R Walker1, Yatish Turakhia2

  • 1European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 20, 2021
PubMed
Summary

The SARS-CoV-2 virus shows elevated G→U and C→U mutation rates, possibly due to APOBEC and ROS activity. These frequent, homoplasic mutations impact viral evolution, vaccine design, and spread tracking.

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Last Updated: Nov 20, 2025

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic spurred extensive SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing.
  • Understanding viral mutation and selection is crucial for vaccine development and disease tracking.

Approach:

  • Analyzed over 140,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes to study mutation rates and selective pressures.
  • Addressed common pitfalls in genome sequence analysis to ensure accurate inference.

Key Points:

  • G→U and C→U mutations are significantly elevated, comprising the majority of SARS-CoV-2 mutations.
  • These mutations exhibit high homoplasy, occurring repeatedly across the viral phylogeny.
  • Genomic context has a limited effect on mutation rates.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated G→U and C→U mutation rates may stem from APOBEC and reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity.
  • Evidence suggests selection may favor increased U content at synonymous sites, contrary to previous findings.