Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Why do RNA viruses recombine?

2011; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 9; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nrmicro2614

1740-1534

Etienne Simon‐Lorière, Edward C. Holmes,

Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models

Recombination can be an important evolutionary force for RNA viruses, but the rate of recombination varies greatly between different RNA viruses. In this Analysis article, Simon-Loriere and Holmes describe the mechanisms of recombination for RNA viruses and the role of these mechanisms in viral evolution. Recombination occurs in many RNA viruses and can be of major evolutionary significance. However, rates of recombination vary dramatically among RNA viruses, which can range from clonal to highly recombinogenic. Here, we review the factors that might explain this variation in recombination frequency and show that there is little evidence that recombination is favoured by natural selection to create advantageous genotypes or purge deleterious mutations, as predicted if recombination functions as a form of sexual reproduction. Rather, recombination rates seemingly reflect larger-scale patterns of viral genome organization, such that recombination may be a mechanistic by-product of the evolutionary pressures acting on other aspects of virus biology.