Viruses
Subtitle: agents of evolutionary invention
By: Michael G. Cordingley
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 373
ISBN-13: 9780674972087
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Evolution (Biology); Viruses
Description: Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, and arguably the most successful. They are not technically alive, but--as infectious vehicles of genetic information--they have a remarkable capacity to invade, replicate, and evolve within living cells. Synthesizing a large body of recent research, Michael Cordingley goes beyond our familiarity with viral infections to show how viruses spur evolutionary change in their hosts, shape global ecosystems, and influence every domain of life. In the past few decades, research has revealed that viruses are fundamental to the photosynthetic capacity of the world's oceans and the composition of the human microbiome. Perhaps most fascinating, viruses are now recognized as remarkable engines of the genetic innovation that fuels natural selection and catalyzes evolution in all domains of life. Viruses have coevolved with their hosts since the beginning of life on our planet and are part of the evolutionary legacy of every species that has ever lived. Cordingley explains how viruses are responsible for the creation of many feared bacterial diseases and the emergence of newly pathogenic and drug-resistant strains. And as more and more viruses jump to humans from other animals, new epidemics of viral disease will threaten global society. But Cordingley shows that we can adapt, relying on our evolved cognitive and cultural capacities to limit the consequences of viral infections.--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 325-362) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: 1. Obligate parasites of cells. The virosphere and its metagenome; title: Complexity and "dark matter"; title: Selfish information and the essence of being viral; title: The emergence of egotistical replicators; title: The viral empire; title: 2. Viruses, genes, and ecosystems. Lifestyles and life cycles; title: Lysogeny : exercising temperance; title: Kill the winner; title: Gene brokers; title: Selfishness drives adaptive evolution; title: Phages and the microbiome; title: Unfriendly competition; title: Chemical warfare; title: 3. Potentiation of bacterial diseases by phages. For a charm of powerful trouble; title: Toxic enablers; title: Choose your poison; title: Treasure islands; title: Prophage induction and antibiotic drug resistance; title: 4. Viruses and higher organisms. Viruses, cells, organisms, and populations; title: "Just a virus"; title: Human rhinoviruses; title: Uncommon diversity; title: Accidents of pathogenesis; title: Mutation, diversity, and quasispecies; title: 5. The flu : no common cold. Antigenic escape artists; title: Human influenza A virus; title: Epidemic influenza : dress for the season; title: Quasispecies, sequence clusters, and codon bias; title: Correlating genetic and antigenic evolution; title: Seeding of seasonal epidemics; title: Pandemic influenza : the emperor with no clothes; title: 6. Alternative virus lifestyles. Latency : till death do us part; title: All in the family Herpesviridae; title: 7. Evolutionary mechanisms of DNA viruses. Gene duplication and gene capture; title: Poxvirus evolution; title: Poxvirus party tricks; title: Small DNA virus evolution; title: 8. Viroids and megaviruses : extremes. Viroids : the smallest; title: Evolutionary reliquary; title: Megaviruses : the biggest; title: Big and bigger; title: Virophages : fleas upon fleas; title: Chimerism; title: Megavirus origins : mavericks at heart; title: 9. HIV-1 : a very modern pandemic. A new disease and a new virus; title: Anatomy of HIV-1; title: HIV in the making; title: Socioepidemiology of AIDS : a man-made epidemic; title: Within-host evolution : a very personal arms race; title: Shortsighted evolution; title: Adaptive evolution : an evolving relationship; title: Outrunning the red queen; title: Medicine at the virus-host interface; title: Resistance is futile; title: 10. Cross-species infections : means and opportunity. A rogue's gallery of emerging viruses; title: Adaptive evolution in zoonosis; title: Fitness landscape; title: A shifting fitness landscape; title: The paradox in RNA virus evolution; title: RNA viruses and molecular clocks; title: Arboviruses : vector-borne viruses; title: Evolutionary compromise; title: Host restriction; title: 11. Future pandemic influenza : enemy at the gates. Real and present danger; title: Pandemic threat level; title: The pandemic phenotype; title: Outbreak; title: 12. Ebolavirus. EBOV Makona; title: What we were afraid to say about Ebola; title: Evolution or adaptive change; title: EBOV persistence; title: 13. Viral zoonoses and animal reservoirs. The usual suspects; title: Filovirus origins; title: Bats and viral zoonoses; title: A special relationship; title: Tolerance and resistance; title: 14. Endogenous retroviruses : our viral heritage. Genome invasion by retroviruses; title: Endogenization in progress; title: Change agents; title: Domestication of ERV genes; title: Endogenous viral elements; title: 15. Viruses as human tools. Myxoma virus : biological control; title: Genomics of an attenuated poxvirus; title: Orthopoxviruses : past solutions and future problems; title: Live-attenuated viruses; title: Attenuation by design; title: Virus therapeutics; title: Doctor's little helpers; title: Oncolytic viruses; title: 16. Conclusion : humanity and viruses. The human future and viruses; title: Beauty in design.