Abstract
Arenavirus particles are enveloped and contain two single-strand RNA genomic segments with ambisense coding. Genetic plasticity of the arenaviruses comes from transcription errors, segment reassortment, and permissive genomic packaging, and results in their remarkable ability, as a group, to infect a wide variety of hosts. In this review, we discuss some in vitro studies of virus genetic and phenotypic variation after exposure to selective pressures such as high viral dose, mutagens and antivirals. Additionally, we discuss the variation in vivo of selected isolates of Old World arenaviruses, particularly after infection of different animal species. We also discuss the recent emergence of new arenaviruses in the context of our observations of sequence variations that appear to be host-specific.
Highlights
We review genetic and phenotypic variations of arenaviruses at the level of virus families, at the level of genera, at the level of species, and within those entities known as “strains”or “isolates”
Viruses 2013, 5 strains in vivo and in vitro. Such studies shed light on our own analyses of the Mopeia/Lassa reassortant virus, ML29 as it varies after passage through a variety of host species
The nucleocapsid protein (NP) and glycoprotein precursor (GPC) sequences are separated by a noncoding intergenic region (IGR) [1]
Summary
We review genetic and phenotypic variations of arenaviruses at the level of virus families, at the level of genera, at the level of species, and within those entities known as “strains”. Sequence analysis reveals that the Arenaviridae, the Filoviridae and the Bunyaviridae share some structural motifs that could be derived from common ancestry or functions. Classical studies on the prototypic arenavirus species, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), have followed the sequence and phenotypic variation of the LCMV-Clone 13 and LCMV-Armstrong. Viruses 2013, 5 strains in vivo and in vitro. Such studies shed light on our own analyses of the Mopeia/Lassa reassortant virus, ML29 as it varies after passage through a variety of host species
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