Determination of the mutation rate of a retrovirus.
The mutation rate of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) was measured. Progeny descended from a single virion were collected after one replication cycle, and seven regions of the genome were analyzed for mutations by denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis. In all, 65,250 nucleotides were screened, yielding nine mutations, and the RSV mutation rate was calculated as 1.4 x 10(-4) mutations per nucleotide per replication cycle. These results indicate that RSV is an extremely mutable virus. We speculate that the mutation rate of a virus may correlate inversely with the effectiveness of vaccination against a given virus and suggest that prevention of retrovirus-mediated disease via vaccination may prove difficult.
Leider
J M
JM
Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029.
Palese
P
P
Smith
F I
FI
D000818:Animals; D001358:Avian Sarcoma Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D009154:Mutation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
D012367:RNA, Viral