RNA Viruses

Chapter 1 covers the fundamentals of investigating RNA virus genome structure at a molecular level. Chapters 2 and 3 describe techniques for the mutagenesis of RNA genomes and analysis of transcription. Chapter 4 deals with RNA virus-encoded proteinases, an important aspect of the control of RNA virus gene expression. Chapter 5 considers retrovirus oncogenesis and Chapter 6 the nalysis of RNA virus quasispecies. Chapter 7 describes systems for investigation of in vitro replication of positive-stranded viruses, and Chapter 8 the packaging of RNA virus genomes. In addition to the technical aspects of reverse genetics and retrovirus vectors, both of the final chapters also consider ethical aspects of these new technologies.