[Genome of influenza virus: organization, function, evolution]

Basic features of influenza virus genome structure, replication and evolution are reviewed with a special emphasis upon the segmentary structure of the genome and the use of cell mRNA as primer in virus-specific transcription. The structural and functional autonomy of virus genomic segments and the selection of the segments in the process of viral genome assembly is considered to be the basis for the gene reassortment and the appearance of recombinants. The reassortment of genes is discussed in relation to the nature of "new" antigenic subtypes of human influenza A virus, that is, to the orivin of antigenic shifts and pandemic strains. Another kind of antigenic variation (antigenic drift) is produced by the accumulation of mutations under the conditions of selection pressure in an immune population. Together with the conservation of earlier antigenic subtypes in animal populations these two types of evolutionary changes produce a complex pattern of influenza virus evolution. The prospects of influenza control are briefly discussed in connection with the characteristics of influenza virus genome structure and evolution.