Quasispecies diversity determines pathogenesis through cooperative interactions in a viral population.

ABSTRACT: An RNA virus population does not consist of a single genotype; rather, it is an ensemble of related sequences, termed quasispecies. Quasispecies arise from rapid genomic evolution powered by the high mutation rate of RNA viral replication. Although a high mutation rate is dangerous for a virus because it results in nonviable individuals, it has been hypothesized that high mutation rates create a 'cloud' of potentially beneficial mutations at the population level, which afford the viral quasispecies a greater probability to evolve and adapt to new environments and challenges during infection. Mathematical models predict that viral quasispecies are not simply a collection of diverse mutants but a group of interactive variants, which together contribute to the characteristics of the populatio

SUBMITTER: Vignuzzi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1569948 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature