Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2025
13:41
Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus
Published on: March 8, 2012
12.5K
Synonymous nucleotide changes drive papillomavirus evolution
Kelly M King1, Esha Vikram Rajadhyaksha2, Isabelle G Tobey3
1School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Tumour Virus Research
|October 20, 2022
Summary
Papillomaviruses evolve by acquiring synonymous genetic changes to evade host immune detection without altering proteins. This viral evolution strategy impacts their lifecycle and cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Papillomaviruses (PVs) have co-evolved with hosts for over 450 million years.
- PV evolution is shaped by purifying selection for viral fitness and adaptation to host environments, including immune responses.
- PVs exhibit distinct codon usage patterns compared to their hosts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review insights into the evolutionary mechanisms of the diverse Papillomavirus family.
- To discuss how PVs adapt to host immune systems through genomic changes.
- To explore the implications of viral evolution for lifecycle and cancer progression.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on papillomavirus evolution and genomics.
- Analysis of synonymous genetic changes in PV genomes.
- Discussion of host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion strategies.
Main Results:
- Papillomavirus genomes evolve via synonymous substitutions to avoid host innate immune detection.
- These genetic adaptations allow immune evasion without compromising encoded proteins or viral fitness.
- Codon usage divergence is a key mechanism in PV immune evasion.
Conclusions:
- Synonymous genetic changes are crucial for papillomavirus immune evasion and adaptation.
- Understanding PV evolution provides insights into viral lifecycle and pathogenesis, including cancer development.
- The study highlights the dynamic interplay between viral evolution and host immunity.
Related Concept Videos
00:36Viral Mutations
32.7K
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...
32.7K
00:57Viral Recombination
23.7K
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.
23.7K
01:18Mutations in Microorganisms
56
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,...
56
02:26Comparing Copy Number Variations and SNPs
17.9K
Sequencing of the human genome has opened up several best-kept secrets of the genome. Scientists have identified thousands of genome variations that exist within a population. These variations can be a single nucleotide or a larger chromosomal variation.
Copy number variations or CNVs are the structural variations that cover more than 1kb of DNA sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), on the other hand, is a single nucleotide change or a point mutation that is found in more than 1%...
Copy number variations or CNVs are the structural variations that cover more than 1kb of DNA sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), on the other hand, is a single nucleotide change or a point mutation that is found in more than 1%...
17.9K
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
7.3K
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...
In contrast, regions which code...
7.3K
01:05Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
15.6K
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,...
15.6K