%0 Journal Article %A McGeoch, D. J. %A Howard, C. R. %A Desselberger, U. %T Some Highlights of Animal Virus Research in 1986 %D 1987 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 68 %N 6 %P 1501-1524 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-68-6-1501 %K gene expression %K genome structure %K animal viruses %I Microbiology Society, %X In 1986 we published a review article entitled ‘Some highlights of animal virus research in 1985’, in which we attempted to summarize important and interesting research on animal viruses published in 1985 (McGeoch et al., 1986b). The limitations of the exercise were recognized: coverage was selective rather than systematic and, outside clearly pre-eminent subjects, was overtly influenced by personal scientific interests. In this article we now present a similar account of animal virology in 1986. Much the same ground rules have been retained. Selectivity remains of the first importance, and our treatment concerns work published in 1986 as far as possible, but with a little flexibility where necessary. As with 1985, animal virology in 1986 was dominated by work on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) retroviruses. Outside this area, however, we were not able to identify any small set of truly outstanding advances, although work in many virus systems clearly made excellent progress. This evaluation posed problems for a review of the type undertaken, in particular for achieving a balanced selection of topics. With this background we also found it more necessary than before to address virus groups in separate sections (representing a step back from the previous, integrative stance). We have chosen to present aspects of research on, first, the AIDS viruses, and then in succession on hepatitis viruses, herpesviruses, poxviruses, papovaviruses, picomaviruses and negative strand viruses, and to finish with a section on virion structure. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-68-6-1501