Transgenerational viral resistance

Topic

Transgenerational viral resistance, closely linked to transgenerational immune priming (TGIP), is a biological phenomenon where parents transmit enhanced antiviral immunity or resistance to their offspring without altering the underlying DNA sequence. This non-Mendelian inheritance of acquired immunity is often mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as the transfer of virus-derived small interfering RNAs (viRNAs) or maternal immune factors, and has been widely documented in invertebrates like insects and nematodes.