NIH R01 · 2025
Abstract The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) drives viral evolution by mediating both genetic drift (mutation) and genetic/antigenic shift (recombination) of RNA viruses. RdRp speed and fidelity contribute to the rate of mutation and formation of the mutant swarm, a well-established determinant of viral fitness and pathogenesis. For more than two decades, we have used the RdRp from poliovirus (PV) as a model system to elucidate fundamental biochemical and biophysical principles governing speed and fidelity of nucleotide addition. A major conclusion of this work is that both speed and fidelity are controlled by the dynamics of a conserved array of amino acid residues in the active site.…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.