John Libbey Eurotext




Defective interferent RNA in coronaviruses
Virologie. Volume 3, Number 6, 455-64, Novembre-Décembre 1999, Revues
Résumé Article gratuit
Author(s) : H. Pascalis, H. Laude
Summary : Coronaviruses replication goes along with the appearance of genomic RNA molecules, a commonly observed phenomenon in RNA viruses. Theses molecules, resulting from recombination events are likely to interfere, to a more or less efficient extent, with the wild virus replication. Also, when packed they are likely to infect new cells. This article’s aim is a synthesis of up to date knowledge about defective interferent RNA in coronaviruses. This study proved to be a decisive asset for better understanding the essential aspects of the virus cycle events such as replication, assembly and packaging. Coronaviruses DI RNA are also particularly useful to study the mechanism of high frequency recombination. This contribution has recently been reinforced as it was shown that a shrewed use of synthetic RNAs arising from defective DI RNA, was an efficient means to bring about targeted changes in genomic RNA through an in vivo recombination, thus opening the way to reverse genetics in coronaviruses.
Keywords : Coronavirus – Defective interferent RNA – Transcription – Replication – Recombination.

Defective interferent RNA in coronaviruses