Coevolutionary dynamics of viruses and their defective interfering particles
Shiv Muthupandiyan1, John Yin1
1Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 330 N Orchard St, Madison, Wisconsin 53715, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|November 24, 2025
Summary
Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are viral mutants that parasitize viruses. This study models virus-DIP evolution, revealing cyclical population dynamics and coevolutionary "chase" dynamics, impacting therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Mathematical Modeling
Background:
- Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are viral mutants that cannot replicate independently.
- DIPs interfere with intact virus replication by competing for resources during co-infection.
- Understanding the evolutionary interplay between viruses and DIPs is crucial for viral dynamics and therapeutics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a continuous phenotype-space model for virus-DIP coevolution.
- To investigate the mechanisms shaping population-level outcomes in virus-DIP interactions.
- To explore the implications for designing effective DIP-based therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Developed a continuous phenotype-space model using coupled partial differential equations.
- Incorporated mutation, phenotype-dependent interference, fitness costs, and de novo DIP generation.
- Analyzed dynamics in strong-mutation regimes, capturing population and trait-level evolution.
Main Results:
- Observed population-level oscillations (von Magnus effect) and trait-level coevolutionary chase dynamics.
- Identified four distinct evolutionary regimes: coexistence, chase dynamics, DIP extinction, and mutual extinction.
- Found that intermediate interference strength and low decay rates promote chase dynamics.
Conclusions:
- The model provides a general framework for virus-DIP coevolution, integrating population dynamics and trait evolution.
- Coevolutionary chase dynamics are sensitive to interference strength and decay rates.
- Findings inform the design of DIP-based therapeutics to enhance resistance to viral escape.
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