Molecular Evolution and Genetic Diversity in Viruses
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 722
Special Issue Editor
Interests: gastroepidemiology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Molecular evolution and genetic diversity are fundamental in understanding how viruses emerge, adapt, and persist. Viruses, RNA viruses in particular, evolve rapidly due to high mutation rates, recombination, and genome reassortment-key drivers of their genetic diversity and ability to evade immunity. The quasispecies nature of viral populations within hosts further enhances their adaptability and pathogenic potential.
Advancements in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have enabled real-time tracking of viral evolution, as seen during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. These tools are critical in identifying emerging variants, understanding viral transmission, monitoring the evolution of antiviral drug resistance, and guiding the development of antiviral therapies and vaccines. Viral phylogenetics and metagenomics continue to uncover the extensive genetic diversity of viruses across hosts and environments, deepening our understanding of viral evolution and supporting the early detection of epidemic strains.
In light of the significant impact of viral evolution on disease dynamics, we invite submissions of original research, perspectives, and comprehensive reviews addressing the multifaceted aspects of viral molecular evolution and diversity. Topics of interest include, but not limited to:
- Mechanisms of viral mutation, recombination, and reassortment
- Evolutionary genomics of RNA and DNA viruses
- Quasispecies dynamics and intra-host evolution
- Evolution of antiviral resistance
- Viral phylogenetics and evolutionary modelling
- Zoonotic transmission and viral emergence
- Genomic surveillance of viral variants
- Implications for vaccine and drug development
Dr. Jennifer H. Lun
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- viral mutation
- recombination reassortment
- viral genomics
- quasispecies dynamics
- antiviral resistance
- viral phylogenetics
- zoonotic transmission
- genomic surveillance
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