Selection for Robustness in Mutagenized RNA Viruses
Author Information
Author(s): Sanjuán Rafael, Cuevas José M, Furió Victoria, Holmes Edward C, Moya Andrés
Primary Institution: Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, València, Spain
Hypothesis
Can mutational robustness be directly favored by natural selection in RNA viruses?
Conclusion
The study provides evidence that selection can favor mutational robustness in RNA viruses, particularly under high mutation rates.
Supporting Evidence
- Population A showed a 53.9% fitness increase, while population B showed a non-significant 7.0% increase.
- Population B outcompeted population A in the presence of chemical mutagens.
- Fitness variance was 30 times higher for population A than for population B.
Takeaway
This study shows that some viruses can survive better when they are more robust to mutations, even if they replicate more slowly.
Methodology
The researchers used experimental populations of vesicular stomatitis RNA virus to compare fitness distributions and genetic variability under different mutation rates.
Potential Biases
Potential biases could arise from the assumption that the fitness of the populations was not influenced by rare beneficial mutations.
Limitations
The study assumes that no beneficial mutations were sweeping through either population during competition assays.
Participant Demographics
Two populations of vesicular stomatitis RNA virus with different evolutionary histories were studied.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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