A Glimpse on the Evolution of RNA Viruses: Implications and Lessons from SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: RNA viruses are characterised by extremely high genetic variability due to fast replication, large population size, low fidelity, and (usually) a lack of proofreading mechanisms of RNA polymerases leading to high mutation rates. Furthermore, viral recombination and reassortment may act as a significant evolutionary force among viruses contributing to greater genetic diversity than obtainable by mutation alone. The above-mentioned properties allow for the rapid evolution of RNA viruses, which may result in difficulties in viral eradication, changes in virulence and pathogenicity, and lead to events such as cross-species transmissions, which are matters of great interest in the light of current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemics. In this review, we aim to

SUBMITTER: Simicic P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9866536 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature