The genetic stability of Ebola virus

[Don Haut]

In article <2AUG199513543156 at aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu>,
roossinck at aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu (ROOSSINCK,MARILYN) wrote:

> Just wanted to add my own 2 cents worth--it is not clear that there is such a
> thing as "neutral" evolution in an RNA virus--nucleotide changes that do not
> effect coding capacity may well effect other functions of the viral RNA.  With
> very limited genetic information the selection pressure on sequence maintain-
> ence could be enormous.  We just don't have enough data yet to know why some
> RNA viruses seem to change rapidly and some very slowly.
> 
> Marilyn Roossinck
> The S.R. Noble Foundation

That is a VERY good point and one that I had not thought of (and should have).

Thanks!!

Don

Don Haut 
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
University of Missouri-Columbia
C601591 at showme.missouri.edu
314-882-3171