Viral ecology
Emergence of Plant RNA Viruses
Evolutionary Constraints on Emergence of Plant RNA Viruses
from Santiago F. Elena writing in Recent Advances in Plant Virology
Over the recent years, agricultural activity in many regions has been compromised by a succession of devastating epidemics caused by new viruses that switched host species, or by new variants of classic viruses that acquired new virulence factors or changed their epidemiological patterns. Although viral emergence has been classically associated with ecological change or with agronomical practices that brought in contact reservoirs and crop species, it has become obvious that the picture is much more complex, and results from an evolutionary process in which the main players are the changes in ecological factors, the tremendous genetic plasticity of viruses, the several host factors required for virus replication, and a strong stochastic component. A recent review puts the emergence of RNA viruses into the framework of evolutionary genetics and reviews the basic notions necessary to understand emergence, stressing that viral emergence begins with a stochastic process that involves the transmission of a pre-existing viral strain with the right genetic background into a new host species, followed by adaptation to the new host during the early stages of infection.
Further reading: Recent Advances in Plant Virology | Virology Publications
from Santiago F. Elena writing in Recent Advances in Plant Virology
Over the recent years, agricultural activity in many regions has been compromised by a succession of devastating epidemics caused by new viruses that switched host species, or by new variants of classic viruses that acquired new virulence factors or changed their epidemiological patterns. Although viral emergence has been classically associated with ecological change or with agronomical practices that brought in contact reservoirs and crop species, it has become obvious that the picture is much more complex, and results from an evolutionary process in which the main players are the changes in ecological factors, the tremendous genetic plasticity of viruses, the several host factors required for virus replication, and a strong stochastic component. A recent review puts the emergence of RNA viruses into the framework of evolutionary genetics and reviews the basic notions necessary to understand emergence, stressing that viral emergence begins with a stochastic process that involves the transmission of a pre-existing viral strain with the right genetic background into a new host species, followed by adaptation to the new host during the early stages of infection.
Further reading: Recent Advances in Plant Virology | Virology Publications
Insect viruses
Category: Virology
from Insect Virology
Viruses that are pathogenic to beneficial insects and other arthropods cause millions of dollars of damage to industries such as sericulture, apiculture and aquaculture every year (eg infecting honeybees and silk worms). On the other hand, viruses that are pathogenic to insect pests can be exploited as attractive biological control agents. Another fascinating feature of these viruses is that some, for example baculoviruses, have been commercially exploited for use as gene expression and delivery vectors in both insect and mammalian cells. All of these factors have led to an explosion in the amount of research into insect viruses in recent years generating impressive quantities of information on the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses.
Further reading: Insect Virology
Viruses that are pathogenic to beneficial insects and other arthropods cause millions of dollars of damage to industries such as sericulture, apiculture and aquaculture every year (eg infecting honeybees and silk worms). On the other hand, viruses that are pathogenic to insect pests can be exploited as attractive biological control agents. Another fascinating feature of these viruses is that some, for example baculoviruses, have been commercially exploited for use as gene expression and delivery vectors in both insect and mammalian cells. All of these factors have led to an explosion in the amount of research into insect viruses in recent years generating impressive quantities of information on the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses.
Further reading: Insect Virology
Insect virology
Category: Virology
Sassan Asgari and Karyn N. Johnson (The University of Queensland, Australia) present a new book on Insect Virology
Virus groups covered include: Ascoviruses, Baculoviruses, Densoviruses, Entomopoxviruses, Hytrosaviruses, Iridoviruses, Nudiviruses, Polydnaviruses, Dicistroviruses, Iflaviruses, Nodaviruses, Tetraviruses and Cypoviruses. Several special topics chapters review current developments in insect virology including RNAi, insect antiviral responses, structural comparison of insect RNA viruses, and viral ecology read more ...
Virus groups covered include: Ascoviruses, Baculoviruses, Densoviruses, Entomopoxviruses, Hytrosaviruses, Iridoviruses, Nudiviruses, Polydnaviruses, Dicistroviruses, Iflaviruses, Nodaviruses, Tetraviruses and Cypoviruses. Several special topics chapters review current developments in insect virology including RNAi, insect antiviral responses, structural comparison of insect RNA viruses, and viral ecology read more ...
 | Edited by: Sassan Asgari and Karyn N. Johnson ISBN: 978-1-904455-71-4 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: September 2010 Cover: Hardback |