Evolutionary Constraints to Viroid Evolution
Author Information
Author(s): Elena Santiago F., Gustavo Gómez, José-Antonio Daròs
Primary Institution: Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV)
Hypothesis
Viroids are trapped into adaptive peaks as a result of adaptive constraints.
Conclusion
Viroids face significant evolutionary constraints that limit their ability to adapt and evolve due to the necessity of maintaining compact RNA structures.
Supporting Evidence
- Viroids must fold into compact structures to escape RNA silencing.
- Antagonistic epistasis limits the number of alternative evolutionary pathways.
- Recombination is suggested as a mechanism for viroids to escape evolutionary constraints.
Takeaway
Viroids are tiny infectious agents that have to fold their RNA tightly to avoid being destroyed by plant defenses, but this makes it hard for them to change and adapt.
Methodology
In silico analyses were conducted for 29 known viroids to study the effects of mutations and epistasis.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on theoretical models and computational analyses, which may not fully capture the complexities of viroid evolution in natural settings.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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