error threshold

Avoiding error catastrophe with recombination

RNA viruses exist close to their error threshold, the point beyond which additional mutations cause loss of infectivity. It has been suggested that RNA recombination prevents viruses from exceeding the error threshold – a situation called error catastrophe – but there has been little experimental support for this hypothesis. An analysis of poliovirus RNA synthesis …

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TWiV 555: Fidelity and the single cell

From ASM Microbe 2019, Vincent, Brianne and Calvin meet up with Craig Cameron to discuss his career and his work exploring RNA-dependent RNA synthesis and single cell virology. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 555 (46 MB .mp3, 76 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv

TWiV 360: From Southeastern Michigan

On episode #360 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent visits the University of Michigan where he and Kathy speak with Michael, Adam, and Akira about polyomaviruses, virus evolution, and virus assembly, on the occasion of naming the department of Microbiology & Immunology a Milestones in Microbiology site. You can find TWiV #360 at …

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TWiV 232: Gophers go viral

On episode #232 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent meets up with Roberto, Reuben, Lou, and Leslie at the University of Minnesota to talk about their work on HIV-1, APOBEC proteins, measles virus, and teaching virology to undergraduates. You can find TWiV #232 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.

Pushing viruses over the error threshold

The capacity of RNA viruses to produce prodigious numbers of mutations is a powerful advantage. But remember that selection and survival must balance genetic fidelity and mutation rate. Many mutations are not compatible with viral replication. Consequently, if mutation rates are high, at some point accumulating base changes lead to lethal mutagenesis – the population …

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