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. 2025:2940:307-318.
doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4615-1_26.

Reverse Genetics-Based Methodology for Molecular Virology Study

Yu Zhang #  1   2 , Tiesong Zhang #  1 , Ying Xiong  1 , Chunfu Zheng  3 , Li Li  4
Affiliations

Reverse Genetics-Based Methodology for Molecular Virology Study

Yu Zhang et al. Methods Mol Biol. 2025.

Abstract

Viral reverse genetics involves the process of generating synthetic viruses from purified DNA or RNA, enabling the artificial engineering of viral genes. In recent decades, viral reverse genetics has been effectively implemented for numerous viruses that pose significant threats to public health and the global economy. Viral reverse genetics techniques enable researchers to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of viral infection and transmission, trace viral evolution and replication, and study the impact of viral mutations on the virus life cycle. In this chapter, we describe a general reverse genetic strategy for rescuing DNA and RNA viruses.

Keywords: Recombinant virus; Reverse genetics; Virology; Virus genome engineering; Virus rescue.

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