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Codon Usage Evolution in Viruses: Implications for Survival and Pathogenicity.

Shaikh Kaleem1, Ujwal Dahal2, Shivani Devi3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India.

Journal of Molecular Evolution
|September 4, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Viral codon usage patterns are key viral signatures influencing survival and pathogenicity. Understanding these patterns and host interactions is crucial for developing antivirals and vaccines.

Keywords:
CodonEvolutionVaccineViral codon usageZoonotic spillover

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Viral codon usage patterns are distinct and influenced by host-virus interactions, genome composition, and evolutionary pressures.
  • Differences in codon usage between DNA and RNA viruses reflect their replication strategies and host tropism.
  • Codon bias impacts viral translation efficiency, immune evasion, and pathogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize current knowledge on virus-host translational interactions and codon bias-driven viral evolution.
  • To explore the implications of codon usage in viral pathogenesis, immune evasion, and epidemiology.
  • To outline practical applications in vaccine development, antiviral strategies, and diagnostics.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing literature on viral codon usage.
  • Analysis of computational and experimental data on virus-host translational dynamics.
  • Integration of evolutionary, genomic, and pathogenetic perspectives.

Main Results:

  • Codon usage is a critical viral signature affecting viral survival, adaptation, and pathogenicity.
  • Viral adaptation to host codon usage influences translational efficiency and immune evasion.
  • Codon deoptimization is a viral strategy for evading host immune detection.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding viral codon bias is essential for comprehending viral evolution, host adaptation, and disease control.
  • Further research integrating computational and experimental approaches is needed to address context-dependent variations and experimental validation.
  • Applications in vaccine development, antiviral strategies, and diagnostics are promising.