TY - JOUR AU - Pachetti, Maria AU - Marini, Bruna AU - Benedetti, Francesca AU - Giudici, Fabiola AU - Mauro, Elisabetta AU - Storici, Paola AU - Masciovecchio, Claudio AU - Angeletti, Silvia AU - Ciccozzi, Massimo AU - Gallo, Robert C. AU - Zella, Davide AU - Ippodrino, Rudy PY - 2020 DA - 2020/04/22 TI - Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutation hot spots include a novel RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase variant JO - Journal of Translational Medicine SP - 179 VL - 18 IS - 1 AB - SARS-CoV-2 is a RNA coronavirus responsible for the pandemic of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (COVID-19). RNA viruses are characterized by a high mutation rate, up to a million times higher than that of their hosts. Virus mutagenic capability depends upon several factors, including the fidelity of viral enzymes that replicate nucleic acids, as SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Mutation rate drives viral evolution and genome variability, thereby enabling viruses to escape host immunity and to develop drug resistance. SN - 1479-5876 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-020-02344-6 DO - 10.1186/s12967-020-02344-6 ID - Pachetti2020 ER -