ΦX174 Attenuation by Whole-Genome Codon Deoptimization.

ABSTRACT: Natural selection acting on synonymous mutations in protein-coding genes influences genome composition and evolution. In viruses, introducing synonymous mutations in genes encoding structural proteins can drastically reduce viral growth, providing a means to generate potent, live-attenuated vaccine candidates. However, an improved understanding of what compositional features are under selection and how combinations of synonymous mutations affect viral growth is needed to predictably attenuate viruses and make them resistant to reversion. We systematically recoded all nonoverlapping genes of the bacteriophage ΦX174 with codons rarely used in its Escherichia coli host. The fitness of recombinant viruses decreases as additional deoptimizing mutations are made to the genome, although not alway

SUBMITTER: Van Leuven JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7881332 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature