Arenavirus variations due to host-specific adaptation.
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.
Institute of Human Virology-School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jczapata@ihv.umaryland.edu
Juan C
JC
Zapata
Maria S
MS
Salvato
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D018050:Arenavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny