Decoding the Genetics of Viral Evolution

  • 7,969

    Total downloads

  • 33k

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

Next-generation genome sequencing efforts have led to an ever-increasing repository of whole-genome sequences of viruses. The annotation of viral genomes has revealed variations that could be responsible for novel functions or functions that have not been hitherto explained. These variations could play crucial roles in the evolutionary process of the viruses as well as their abilities to interact with hosts' cellular and molecular machinery. The cross-talk between the genetic materials of hosts and the viruses could influence the dynamic interactions between the viral pathogenesis and hosts' immune response. The hosts' cellular milieu provides an ecosystem for these interactions opening compelling questions such as what makes a particular cell a perfect viral host? What factors influence the degree of viral pathogenicity? What are the respective genome interplays involved herein? How can a virus broaden its host range and the elements that drive this aspect? The answers to several such questions could be intertwined in the genomes of the virus and the host.

The small genome size of viruses enables them to maintain a high replication rate, a crucial feature to grow their numbers within the host and spread them across the population. However, a higher replication rate follows frequent genetic mutations owing to biochemical constraints associated with it, which results in continually evolving host-pathogen dynamics, often to their advantage.

The high proportion of variations documented in viral genomes, along with its implication on host response and associated pathology, necessitates in-depth investigation into these alterations. Computational biology tools help in elucidating the origin of these sequence variations, its implication for fitness of the virus and the subsequent host responses. With the constant development of new tools in molecular biology and genomics approaches, new and improved computational algorithms are also necessary to robustly perform genome data analysis. The analyses could bring forth the relevant information that could facilitate the understanding of viral epidemiology.

The current pandemic has demonstrated the vulnerability of the human population to ever-increasing chances of new zoonotic transmission; the understanding of viral genomes is vital to counter such an outbreak in the future. This issue will focus on the genomic and evolutionary aspects of viruses that infect humans or have the potential to do so.

We invite contributions of Original Research, Methods, and Reviews covering the following topics of interest:

1. Viral genome features associated with host specificity and divergence;
2. The phylogenetic and phylogenomic network of viruses;
3. Sequencing and annotation of novel genomes;
4. Significance of non-coding regions of the genome;
5. Development of tools and algorithms for genomic data analysis;
6. Identification of biomarkers for viral diagnostics and therapeutics.

Keywords: Next-Generation Genome Sequencing, Virus Host, Mutations, Biomarkers, Phylogenetic Trees, Host-Responses

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Participating Journals

Impact

  • 33kTopic views
  • 23kArticle views
  • 7,969Article downloads
View impact