Biology of Negative Strand RNA Viruses: The Power of Reverse Genetics

Negative-strand RNA viruses, so named because of the polarity of their genomic RNA to mRNA, include important human and non-human pathogens. Reverse genetics, a technique that allows generation of recombinant viruses, was first developed for negative-strand RNA viruses in 1989. Since then, it has accelerated the pace of research on these viruses, leading to a wealth of new knowledge that otherwise would have been difficult to obtain. Notable achievements that can be attributed to reverse genetics include the production of inactivated and live vaccine candidates and of vaccine and gene transfer vectors.

This volume covers major advances in reverse genetics techniques over the past decade, state-of-the-art basic science and the clinical implications of experimental findings. This should rekindle interest in negative-strand RNA viruses among readers, including those in other disciplines, leading to further progress in understanding these important viruses and in developing effective measures of control.

Contenu

Introduction.- Reverse genetics of mononegavirales.- Reverse systems for the generation of segmented negative-sense RNA viruses entirely from cloned cDNA.- Transcription and replication of non-segmented negative strand RNA viruses.- Orthomyxovirus replication, transcription, and polyadenylation.- Escaping from the cell: assembly and budding of negative-strand RNA viruses.- Accessory genes of the paramyxoviridae, a large family of nonsegmented negative strand RNA viruses, as a focus of active investigation by reverse genetics.- Identification and characterization of viral antagonists of type I interferon in negative-strand RNA viruses.- Towards multivalent vaccines and therapeutic viruses.- Influenza vaccines generated by reverse genetics.- Subject index