Viruses: Exquisite models for cell strategies

Because of the small size of their genome, viral genes have been forerunner s in helping us understand gene expression. It is also because of their sma ll size that viruses have elaborated the amazing variety of strategies that enables them to produce all the proteins they require for their multiplica tion. As a consequence, many of the strategies of expression known to occur in cell systems were first demonstrated in viruses. The aim of this review is to highlight the contribution of viruses to our knowledge of cell proce sses. (C) Societe francaise de biochimie et biologie moleculaire / Elsevier , Paris.