Which of the following processes within viral replication is the greatest source of genetic variation in RNA virus populations?
A) High mutation rate due to lack of proofreading of RNA genome replication errors.
B) Transcription from the host cell RNA polymerase introduces numerous mutations.
C) RNA genomes are less stable than DNA genomes and the RNA breaks introduce mutations.
D) Viral RNA is translated by host cell ribosomes and viruses use slightly different codons.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

RNA viruses have a high mutation rate primarily because the enzymes that replicate their RNA genome (RNA-dependent RNA polymerases) lack proofreading mechanisms, leading to a higher rate of replication errors and thus greater genetic variation.

Which of the Following Processes Within Viral Replication Is the Greatest