defective interfering genome

[Mike Poidinger]

On Tue, 18 Jun 1996 12:49:25 GMT, dugiyadi at melsa.net.id (Dori Ugiyadi)
wrote:

>
>Dear virologist,
>Does every virus have defective interfering genome?

Probably, although they are most well characterised in the RNA
viruses, especially flavi, alpha, paramyxo, orthomyxo and of course
Rhabdo.


>Is this genome responsible to the attenuation of polio virus?

Not in the sense I think you mean.  Polio DI's are very restricted, in
that they cannot be too small (I think >70% of the genome?), must have
in frame deletions, and (from memory) must also contain functional
replicase components.  In addition, they do not grow very well and
have only a moderate 'interfering' effect on polio replication.

When people talk about attenuated polio they refer to mutations in the
coding and noncoding regions which cause avirulence.

Mike


Dr Mike Poidinger        Animal Welfare, NOT Animal Rights
Microbiology, UQ       
Australia                Vegetables are what my food eats
mikep at biosci.uq.oz.au