Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

32.9K
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...
32.9K
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

141
Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
141
Mutations in Microorganisms01:18

Mutations in Microorganisms

78
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,...
78
The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

34.7K
DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with...
34.7K
Translesion DNA Polymerases02:10

Translesion DNA Polymerases

10.1K
Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...
10.1K
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

243
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
243

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sex, ducks, and rock "n" roll: Mathematical model of sexual response.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Vaccination games and imitation dynamics with memory.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Dynamics of coupled Kuramoto oscillators with distributed delays.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2021
Same author

Time-delayed and stochastic effects in a predator-prey model with ratio dependence and Holling type III functional response.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)·2021
Same author

Effects of Vector Maturation Time on the Dynamics of Cassava Mosaic Disease.

Bulletin of mathematical biology·2021
Same author

Effects of latency and age structure on the dynamics and containment of COVID-19.

Journal of theoretical biology·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 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

29.7K

Mathematical model of replication-mutation dynamics in coronaviruses.

K B Blyuss1, Y N Kyrychko1

  • 1Department of Mathematics, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK.

Mathematical Biosciences
|August 20, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Coronaviruses, RNA viruses with proofreading enzymes, face extinction or adaptation risks from high mutation rates. This study models their replication dynamics, including error catastrophe and lethal mutagenesis, and antiviral treatments.

Keywords:
Antiviral treatmentBifurcationsCoronavirusesRNA virusesReplication–mutation dynamics

More Related Videos

Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus
11:28

Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus

Published on: October 7, 2011

11.1K
Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses
11:19

Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses

Published on: May 4, 2015

11.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 10, 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

29.7K
Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus
11:28

Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus

Published on: October 7, 2011

11.1K
Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses
11:19

Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses

Published on: May 4, 2015

11.3K

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • RNA viruses exhibit high mutation rates due to error-prone RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP).
  • This leads to quasispecies formation but also risks like error catastrophe or lethal mutagenesis.
  • Coronaviruses possess a unique exoribonuclease (ExoN) for error correction, differentiating them from other RNA viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To model coronavirus replication dynamics, incorporating neutral, deleterious, and lethal mutations.
  • To explicitly include the role of exoribonuclease (ExoN) in viral replication and error correction.
  • To analyze the impact of different replication modes on virus population stability and identify error catastrophe/lethal mutagenesis regimes.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a mathematical model for coronavirus replication dynamics.
  • Inclusion of ExoN's proofreading function and its effect on mutation accumulation.
  • Analysis of steady states (extinction, mutant-only, quasispecies) and their stability.
  • Modeling the effects of antiviral replication inhibitors and mutagenic drugs.

Main Results:

  • The model identifies distinct regimes of error catastrophe and lethal mutagenesis based on replication parameters.
  • ExoN's proofreading activity significantly influences viral population stability and adaptation potential.
  • Different virus replication modes critically affect the balance between adaptation and extinction.

Conclusions:

  • Coronavirus replication dynamics are complex, balancing adaptation via mutations with the risk of extinction.
  • ExoN plays a crucial role in maintaining viral genome integrity and preventing error catastrophe.
  • The model provides insights into coronavirus evolution and potential therapeutic strategies against these significant pathogens.