REPORTER CONSTRUCTS AND VIRAL FITNESS ASSAYS

摘要

The invention provides a novel reporter nucleic acid that can be used in viral detection assays, and methods for making and using same. In one aspect, the invention provides reporters constructs comprising heat stable antigen (HSA) reporter sequences comprising detectable heterologous (non-HSA) marker sequences that can be used in viral detection and viral growth assays (e.g., viral competition assays), and methods for making and using same. In one aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the relative fitness of at least two viruses, e.g., under a selective constraint or a particular growth condition, including determining differences in growth rate of the different viruses under the constraints of an immune response, a drug, a vaccine or a particular set of environmental conditions. Thus, the invention provides compositions and methods to determine the relative viral fitness (i.e., the ability of a given virus to replicate) of two or more viruses.