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Viruses
Special Issues
15-Year Anniversary of Viruses
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15-Year Anniversary of Viruses

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "General Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 May 2025 | Viewed by 3193

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eric O. Freed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
Interests: HIV dynamics and replication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Abdul A. Waheed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
Interests: virology; retroviruses; virus assembly; cell biology; host factors; small-molecule inhibitors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Viruses has come a long way since its launch by MDPI in 2009. At that time, open-access publishing was a relatively new concept. Over the years, however, open access has become a cornerstone of scientific publishing, with global funding agencies increasingly requiring the research they support to be published as open access [1]. Since its inception, Viruses has experienced remarkable growth. In 2009, the journal published 70 articles; by 2017, this number rose to 391, and in 2024, the journal published 1887 papers. The growth of the journal reflects the dedication of our editorial team, the expertise of our Associate Editors and Editorial Board members, and the invaluable contributions of authors and reviewers worldwide.

Beyond publishing high-quality research, Viruses has actively supported the virology community through a variety of initiatives, including annual travel awards for students and postdoctoral researchers, the biennial Viruses Young Investigator Award [2], and the organization of international virology conferences. This includes conferences held in Basel, Switzerland (2016); Barcelona, Spain (2018, 2020, and 2024); and the virtual Viruses 2022 conference [3–7]. Additionally, the journal has established affiliations with leading virology societies, such as the American Society for Virology (ASV), the Spanish Society for Virology (SEV), the Canadian Society for Virology (CSV), the Italian Society for Virology (SIV-ISV), the Australasian Virology Society (AVS), the Brazilian Society for Virology (BSV), and Global Virus Network (GVN), furthering its mission to promote virology research globally.

In recent years, virology has undergone transformative advancements, highlighting its critical role in science and public health. The global response to SARS-CoV-2 has accelerated the development of mRNA vaccine platforms and antiviral drugs, while significantly strengthening the scientific community's capacity for genomic surveillance of emerging variants. At the same time, research into underexplored pathogens, such as Nipah and monkeypox, has highlighted the urgent need for integrated 'one-health' strategies to prevent zoonotic disease spillovers. Innovations such as AI-driven drug discovery, single-virus sequencing technologies, and the application of synthetic biology to engineer viral vectors for gene therapy are opening exciting new frontiers not only in understanding and combatting viruses as pathogens but also harnessing them for useful applications.

To celebrate the journal’s ongoing success and the remarkable advancements in virology, Viruses is proud to announce its Fifteenth Year Anniversary Special Issue. This special issue will highlight cutting-edge research and reflect the breadth of virology across all domains.

I am delighted to announce that Dr. Abdul Waheed, from the HIV Dynamics and Replication Program (HIV-DRP) of the U.S. National Cancer Institute, will join me as Co-Guest Editor for this Special Issue. Together, we are committed to assembling a compelling collection of articles that highlights the diversity, innovation, and impact of modern virology research.

References

  1. https://blog.mdpi.com/2024/12/24/open-access-policies/
  2. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses/awards
  3. Viruses 2016: https://sciforum.net/event/viruses-2016
  4. Viruses 2018: https://sciforum.net/event/Viruses-2018
  5. Viruses 2020: https://sciforum.net/event/viruses2020
  6. Viruses 2022: https://sciforum.net/event/viruses2022
  7. Viruses 2024: https://sciforum.net/event/viruses2024

Dr. Eric O. Freed
Dr. Abdul A. Waheed
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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

  • diversity, innovation, and impact of modern virology research
  • virology across all domains
  • Viruses fifteenth year anniversary
 

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

20 pages, 686 KiB  
Review
Self-Amplifying RNA: Advantages and Challenges of a Versatile Platform for Vaccine Development
by Thomas Vallet and Marco Vignuzzi
Viruses 2025, 17(4), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17040566 - 14 Apr 2025
Viewed by 662
Abstract
Self-amplifying RNA is synthetic nucleic acid engineered to replicate within cells without generating viral particles. Derived from alphavirus genomes, saRNA retains the non-structural elements essential for replication while replacing the structural elements with an antigen of interest. By enabling efficient intracellular amplification, saRNA [...] Read more.
Self-amplifying RNA is synthetic nucleic acid engineered to replicate within cells without generating viral particles. Derived from alphavirus genomes, saRNA retains the non-structural elements essential for replication while replacing the structural elements with an antigen of interest. By enabling efficient intracellular amplification, saRNA offers a promising alternative to conventional mRNA vaccines, enhancing antigen expression while requiring lower doses. However, this advantage comes with challenges. In this review, we highlight the key limitations of saRNA technology and explore potential strategies to overcome them. By identifying these challenges, we aim to provide insights that can guide the future design of saRNA-based therapeutics, extending their potential beyond vaccine applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 15-Year Anniversary of Viruses)
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16 pages, 2293 KiB  
Review
Towards a Universal Translator: Decoding the PTMs That Regulate Orthoflavivirus Infection
by Hannah M. Schmidt and Stacy M. Horner
Viruses 2025, 17(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17020287 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 774
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) serve as critical regulators of protein function across biological systems, including during viral infection. For orthoflaviviruses, including human pathogens like dengue, Zika, and West Nile viruses, PTMs on viral proteins regulate multiple aspects of the viral lifecycle and pathogenesis. Here, [...] Read more.
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) serve as critical regulators of protein function across biological systems, including during viral infection. For orthoflaviviruses, including human pathogens like dengue, Zika, and West Nile viruses, PTMs on viral proteins regulate multiple aspects of the viral lifecycle and pathogenesis. Here, we review the mechanisms by which PTMs regulate orthoflavivirus infection in both vertebrate and arthropod hosts. We examine how ubiquitination and glycosylation on the viral envelope proteins facilitate viral entry and how phosphorylation, SUMOylation, and acetylation on non-structural proteins modulate viral RNA replication. Additionally, we describe how PTMs on viral structural proteins dynamically regulate viral assembly and egress. We also describe how PTMs can influence tissue tropism and host-specific pathogenesis, with some modifications showing divergent functions between arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts, and how the host antiviral response can trigger specific PTMs on viral proteins to restrict infection, highlighting PTMs as key mediators of host-pathogen interactions. While significant progress has been made in identifying PTMs on viral proteins, many questions remain about their temporal dynamics, mechanisms of action, and conservation across the orthoflavivirus genus. Understanding how PTMs regulate orthoflavivirus infection may reveal new therapeutic strategies, particularly given recent advances in targeting specific protein modifications for disease treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 15-Year Anniversary of Viruses)
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33 pages, 1893 KiB  
Review
Unraveling the Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) Lifecycle: An Overview of Latency, Lytic Replication, and KSHV-Associated Diseases
by Victor A. Losay and Blossom Damania
Viruses 2025, 17(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17020177 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1377
Abstract
Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic gammaherpesvirus and the etiological agent of several diseases. These include the malignancies Kaposi sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD), as well as the inflammatory disorder KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). The [...] Read more.
Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic gammaherpesvirus and the etiological agent of several diseases. These include the malignancies Kaposi sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD), as well as the inflammatory disorder KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). The KSHV lifecycle is characterized by two phases: a default latent phase and a lytic replication cycle. During latency, the virus persists as an episome within host cells, expressing a limited subset of viral genes to evade immune surveillance while promoting cellular transformation. The lytic phase, triggered by various stimuli, results in the expression of the full viral genome, production of infectious virions, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Both phases of the KSHV lifecycle play crucial roles in driving viral pathogenesis, influencing oncogenesis and immune evasion. This review dives into the intricate world of the KSHV lifecycle, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that drive its latent and lytic phases, their roles in disease progression, and current therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 15-Year Anniversary of Viruses)
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