Folia Pharmacologica Japonica
Online ISSN : 1347-8397
Print ISSN : 0015-5691
ISSN-L : 0015-5691
Technical Note
Advances in the reverse genetics system for RNA viruses
Tatsuya SuzukiAkatsuki Saito
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2022 Volume 157 Issue 2 Pages 134-138

Details
Abstract

RNA viruses are responsible for several infectious diseases, including dengue fever, Zika fever, and COVID-19. Reverse genetics is a powerful tool to elucidate which domain or mutations in RNA viruses determine their pathogenicity and ability to evade antiviral drugs and host immune response. Previous reverse genetics systems for flaviviruses and coronaviruses have been technically challenging and time-consuming, thereby hampering the further understanding of events during viral evolution. A novel reverse genetics system—circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER)—has been developed to overcome this limitation. CPER is based on PCR-mediated assembly of DNA fragments that encode the whole genome of these viruses. CPER requires a relatively short time to introduce specific mutations into the viral genome of flaviviruses and SARS-CoV-2. In this review article, we explain the mode of action of this system and discuss the future direction of reverse genetics for RNA viruses.

Content from these authors
© 2022 by The Japanese Pharmacological Society
Previous article Next article
feedback
Top