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Five Challenges in the Field of Viral Diversity and Evolution - Coggle…
Five Challenges in the Field of Viral Diversity and Evolution
Introduction
Viruses are very abundant, genetically diverse, and fast-evolving composing of different genome organizations, replication strategies, and virion structures
RNA viruses particularyly evolve with short human-observable timescales making them ideal to study viruses
However, evolution is complex and is challenging to predict its course of action
5 challenges that prevent our full understanding
Anticipating Viral Evolution
Since viruses are highly evolvable and create multiple new strains, it is essential to predict the future track of viral strains. RNA viruses are particularly good system to investigate this topic.
Using epidemiological information and high-throughput sequencing data, new variants and their lineages are being tracked which is helping to prevent early spread
However, the ability predict completely new variants is not developed and requires more experimentation particularly using laboratory virus evolution and sequencing
The primary source of viruses that cause pandemics comes from the transmission from wild animals to humans. Therefore, achieving better predictability to prevent pandemics and predict/ track new strains is important
Developing more relevant experimental evolution systems
Weirdly, non-viral systems have been the main source of evidence for the predictability and repeatability of how viruses evolve
The evolution of viruses in a laboratory setting can be combined with sequencing technology to measure individuals mutations that occur however, the mechanism in nature is relatively unknown
A more definitive link between viral strains that evolve in the laboratory versus in nature is required, noting that viruses in field data are non cultured or isolated
Integrating viral dynamics and evolution at different scales
There is a lot of inconsistency within measuring timescales and viral evolution rates which has caused inaccuracies around accepting phylogenetic trees
There is not a strong link at the moment regarding the mechanisms of the viral infection cycle and how it related to the observable fitness at a population level
Characterizing and understanding the virosphere more thoroughly
The extent of knowledge of viral diversity is biased and incomplete as virology focuses on viruses that infect animals and humans
Techniques that span past the surface of comparing the sequences of nucleic acids is needed and must detect remote homology
More questions need to address the evolution of new groups, how phylogenetic trees of viruses compare in different ecosystems and the recurrent evolution of similar features
Improving our understanding of virus-virus interactions
Successful viral infections depend on the presence of other microorganisms outside of the virus and host themselves, such as other viruses that may directly or indirectly interact with one another
The progression of viral infections and its ability to shape spatial populations whether the infection is due to virus-virus interaction may spread and become systemic or remain localized
Conclusion
Research on the five challenges must be emphasized in the future in order to help against viral infection and to be able to understand how we can use them in biotech
More comprehensive data is needed to maintain consistency regarding our understanding of viral evolution
Reference
Sanjuán R, Illingworth CJR, Geoghegan JL, Iranzo J, Zwart MP, Ciota AT, Moratorio G, Gago-Zachert S, Duffy S, Vijaykrishna D. 2021. Five Challenges in the Field of Viral Diversity and Evolution. Frontiers in Virology. 1. doi:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fviro.2021.684949
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