Figure 2.

Viral RNA recombination. (A) Replicative recombination begins after incomplete RNA replication resulting in the dissociation from the template and rebinding with another RNA molecule to complete replication. (i) RNA template rebinding at a homologous location in an identical RNA template results in error-free recombination. (ii) RNA template rebinding in an ectopic RNA molecule creates a chimeric molecule. (B) Non-Replicative RNA recombination occurs through a yet unknown mechanism, which can involve breakage and joining of two different RNA molecules to create a chimeric RNA molecule.