Abstract
RNA viruses are capable of rapid spread and severe or potentially lethal disease in both animals and humans. The development of reverse genetics systems for manipulation and study of RNA virus genomes has provided platforms for designing and optimizing viral mutants for vaccine development. Here, we review the impact of RNA virus reverse genetics systems on past and current efforts to design effective and safe viral therapeutics and vaccines.
Highlights
Vaccines remain one of the greatest accomplishments of human ingenuity, scientific endeavor, and the combined global efforts of the public health community
The rates of incidence and mortality associated with infection by RNA viruses such as polio, measles, mumps and rubella have declined by greater than 95% compared to pre-vaccination rates [1]
Since the virus rarely needs to package additional non-structural proteins in the virion, most positive-sense RNA virus reverse genetics systems largely focus on delivery of either transcribed genomic RNA into the cell cytoplasm or delivery of cDNA
Summary
Vaccines remain one of the greatest accomplishments of human ingenuity, scientific endeavor, and the combined global efforts of the public health community. Reverse genetics technology and recombinant virus design has been employed to generate reverse genetic clones representing all major virus families These techniques and approaches have become the focus of new efforts to design vaccines that incorporate specific changes in either component-based or virus-based systems to induce lasting immunity in the host without health risks or deleterious effects. Use of replicating viruses in vaccines, such as live-attenuated or chimeric vector-based platforms, have the benefits of high immunogenicity, lower costs, and ease to transport and administer. These viruses have the potential to revert to more pathogenic phenotypes and may be under-attenuated in immunocompromised hosts. We describe RNA virus reverse genetics systems and provide an overview of current efforts to use reverse genetics technology in the development of safe and effective vaccines
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