Virus Evolution

Virus Evolution

To the tune of “Jingle Bell Rock”

[Verse 1]
Four main drivers of virus evolution
Include large quantities of virus progeny
Large numbers of mutants and quasispecies
And the role of selection indeed

[Verse 2] 
Four main drivers of virus evolution
Infected cells make billions of copies
The evolutionary arms race is a constant
Between the host and virus

[Bridge]
Replication drives production
Of large numbers of mutants
And mutation drives evolution
Of populations of viruses

[Verse 3]
Four main drivers of virus evolution
Mutation is constant
RNA viruses cannot proofread
And DNA viruses can

[Verse 4]
Four main drivers of virus evolution
Virus populations are distributions
Of non-identical replicons
Quasispecies they’re called

[Bridge] 
Survival of the fittest
Is when one mutation
Is selected and overrepresented
In the next virus population

 [Outro]
There is also survival of the survivors
Which is when linked genes
That are not selected for appear in progeny
With selected for
With selected for
With selected for genes