Currently,there is no single source that permitscomparisonof the factors, elements, enzymes and/or mechanisms employed by different classes of viruses for genome replication. As a result, we (and our students) often restrict our focus to our parti- lar system,missing outon theopportunityto de neunifyingthemesin viralgenome replication or bene t from the advances in other systems. For example, extraor- nary biologicaland experimentalparadigmsthat have been established overthe past 5 years for the DNA replication systems of bacteriophage T4 will likely be of great value to anyone interested in studying a replisome from any virus. These studies could easily go unnoticed by animal RNA and DNA virologists. It is our hope that this monograph will cross-fertilize and invigorate the eld, as well as encourage students into this area of research. The monograph has been divided into eight parts. Chapters appearing in Parts I-VI are intended to compare and contrast the replication and/or transcription processes and corresponding "players" of the indicated family of viruses.
We are interested in the sequence of events that lead to production of mRNA and progeny genomes as well as the cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors and enzymes (viral and cellular) that are required for these processes. Chapters appearing in Part VII are - tended to providea more biochemical and biophysicalperspective of the replication and/ortranscriptionprocess. Chaptersappearingin Part VIII are intendedto provide a practical perspective on viral replication and its inhibition.