Editing Virology (section)

==Genetics==
All viruses have [[gene]]s which are studied using [[genetics]].<ref name="pmid29751021">{{cite journal |vauthors=Ibrahim B, McMahon DP, Hufsky F, Beer M, Deng L, Mercier PL, Palmarini M, Thiel V, Marz M |title=A new era of virus bioinformatics |journal=Virus Research |volume=251 |issue= |pages=86–90 |date=June 2018 |pmid=29751021 |doi=10.1016/j.virusres.2018.05.009 |s2cid=21736957 |url=https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/26445}}</ref> All the techniques used in molecular biology, such as cloning, creating mutations [[RNA silencing]] are used in viral genetics.<ref name="Bamford Zuckerman p. ">{{cite book | last1=Bamford | first1=Dennis | last2=Zuckerman | first2=Mark A. | title=Encyclopedia of virology | publication-place=Amsterdam | date=2021 | isbn=978-0-12-814516-6 | oclc=1240584737 | page=}}</ref>

===Reassortment===

[[Reassortment]] is the switching of genes from different parents and it is particularly useful when studying the genetics of viruses that have segmented genomes (fragmented into two or more nucleic acid molecules) such as [[influenza virus]]es and [[rotavirus]]es. The genes that encode properties such as [[serotype]] can be identified in this way.<ref name="pmid27211789">{{cite journal |vauthors=McDonald SM, Nelson MI, Turner PE, Patton JT |title=Reassortment in segmented RNA viruses: mechanisms and outcomes |journal=Nature Reviews. Microbiology |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages=448–60 |date=July 2016 |pmid=27211789 |pmc=5119462 |doi=10.1038/nrmicro.2016.46 |url=}}</ref>

===Recombination===

Often confused with reassortment, recombination is also the mixing of genes but the mechanism differs in that ''stretches'' of DNA or RNA molecules, as opposed to the full molecules, are joined during the RNA or DNA replication cycle. Recombination is not as common as reassortment in nature but it is a powerful tool in laboratories for studying the structure and functions of viral genes.<ref name="pmid22922205">{{cite journal |vauthors=Li J, Arévalo MT, Zeng M |title=Engineering influenza viral vectors |journal=Bioengineered |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=9–14 |date=2013 |pmid=22922205 |pmc=3566024 |doi=10.4161/bioe.21950 |url=}}</ref>

===Reverse genetics===

[[Reverse genetics]] is a powerful research method in virology.<ref name="pmid24899418">{{cite book |vauthors=Lee CW |chapter=Reverse Genetics of Influenza Virus |title=Animal Influenza Virus |series=Methods in Molecular Biology |volume=1161 |pages=37–50 |date=2014 |pmid=24899418 |doi=10.1007/978-1-4939-0758-8_4 |isbn=978-1-4939-0757-1 |chapter-url=}}</ref> In this procedure complementary DNA (cDNA) copies of virus genomes called "infectious clones" are used to produce genetically modified viruses that can be then tested for changes in say, virulence or transmissibility.<ref name="pmid33528730">{{cite journal |vauthors=Li Z, Zhong L, He J, Huang Y, Zhao Y |title=Development and application of reverse genetic technology for the influenza virus |journal=Virus Genes |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=151–163 |date=April 2021 |pmid=33528730 |pmc=7851324 |doi=10.1007/s11262-020-01822-9 |url=}}</ref>