Phylogeny and evolution of papillomaviruses based on the E1 and E2 proteins

Papillomaviridae are a family of small double-stranded DNA viruses that infect stratified squamous epithelia in vertebrates. Members of this family are causative agents of malignant tumours, such as cervical cancer while others are associated with benign proliferative lesions. So far, Papillomaviruses (PVs) are classified according to the sequence identity in the capsid gene L1. However, evidence has accumulated indicating a discontinuity in the evolutionary history of the L1 and L2 genes of many PVs, giving rise to differences in the phylogenetic reconstructions of the early and of the late genes. Neither the oncogenes E5, E6 and E7 nor the upstream regulatory region are suitable for phylogenetic inference due to the poor conservation along the Papillomaviridae family. We have analysed here the evolutionary relationships of the PVs with respect to the E1 and E2 proteins, and the results provide both phylogeny and biologic behaviour of the viruses. The hierarchical taxonomic relationships can be structured as an alternative classification system in which mucosal high-risk viruses, mucosal low-risk viruses and viruses associated with cutaneous lesions are grouped separately and do not appear intermingled. Some important trends are also observed: first, evolution of the PVs has not been homogeneous, even in viruses that infect the same host, and second mucosal human PVs have evolved faster than their cutaneous counterparts. The evolutionary analysis based on the E1 and E2 proteins will allow us to better understand the generation of the diversity of the PVs and the development of malignancy associated with these viruses.     

Antigen recognition by T lymphocytes

Summary Data of recent studies based upon three approaches to the problem of the T cell receptor for antigen, namely, use of ‘anti-receptor’ (≡ anti-idiotype) antibodies, utilization of antisera made against circulating antibodies in association with physicochemical characterization procedures, and phylogenetic investigations, support the conclusion that this recognition molecule is an immunoglobulin, but that it represents an isotype distinct from usual circulating antibodies and B cell surface IgM- and IgD-like molecules. This is publication no. 2286 from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Cited work of the author was supported by USPHS grants AI-12565 and CA-20085 from the National Institutes of Health and grant AHA 75-877 from the American Heart Association.     

Genetic characterization of three Cuban Trichomonas vaginalis virus. Phylogeny of Totiviridae family

Trichomonas vaginalis can be infected with double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses known as T. vaginalis virus (TVV). This viral infection may have important implications for trichomonal virulence and disease pathogenesis. In this study we identified and genetic characterized three strains of TVVs isolated from T. vaginalis in Cuba. The three new predicted sequences of capsid protein and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase amounted to the previously determined 20 TVV sequences and other 21 viruses of Totiviridae family were used for a phylogenetic analysis. Four distinct monophyletic clades are shown in a phylogenetic tree. One corresponds with TVVs, other with Victorivirus, Leishmaniavirus and Eimeria brunetti virus and, other with viruses of the genus Totivirus and the last with Giardiavirus. The E. brunetti virus is identified in the phylogenetic tree as independent taxon between Leishmaniavirus and Victorivirus isolates, most closely related to Victorivirus. TVV constitute a monophyletic cluster distinguishable from all other viruses in Totiviridae family. This result suggested that TVV may be grouped in a separated genus and not inside of Giardiavirus. TVVs appear to be more closely related to protozoan viruses in the genus Leishmaniavirus and to fungal viruses in the genus Victorivirus than to other protozoan and fungal viruses in Giardiavirus and Totivirus. Among TVVs, four main groups can be recognized within Trichomonasvirus cluster, which correspond with the previous species classification proposed. Further studies, with more TVV strains, especially TVV3 and 4 strains, are needed in order to determine the phylogenetic relationship among Trichomonasvirus genus and specifically if TVV2 and 3 each also constitute a well-delimited group.     

The phylogeny of yellow fever virus 17D vaccines

In recent years the safety of the yellow fever live vaccine 17D came under scrutiny. The focus was on serious adverse events after vaccinations that resemble a wild type infection with yellow fever and whose reasons are still not known. Also the exact mechanism of attenuation of the vaccine remains unknown to this day. In this context, the standards of safety and surveillance in vaccine production and administration have been discussed. Therein embodied was the demand for improved documentation of the derivation of the seed virus used for yellow fever vaccine production. So far, there was just a historical genealogy available that is based on source area and passage level. However, there is a need for a documentation based on molecular information to get better insights into the mechanisms of pathology. In this work we sequenced the whole genome of different passages of the YFV-17D strain used by Crucell Switzerland AG for vaccine production. Using all other publically available 17D full genome sequences we compared the sequence variance of all vaccine strains and oppose a phylogenetic tree based on full genome sequences to the historical genealogy.     

The genetic match between vaccine strains and circulating seasonal influenza A viruses in Vietnam, 2001–2009

Please cite this paper as: Vuong et al. (2013). The genetic match between vaccine strains and circulating seasonal influenza A viruses in Vietnam, 2001–2009. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 7(6), 1151–1157. Background  Vietnam is currently developing domestic capability to manufacture influenza vaccines but information on the genetic and antigenic characteristics of locally circulating seasonal influenza viruses is limited. To assess the relevance of WHO recommended vaccine strains to the situation in Vietnam, we analyzed the genetic relatedness of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of seasonal influenza A viruses circulating in Vietnam from 2001 to 2009 to WHO recommended vaccine strains over the same period. Methods and Principal findings  We sequenced the HA gene of 32 H1N1 and 44 H3N2 seasonal influenza A isolates from laboratory‐based sentinel surveillance sites in Hanoi from 2001 to 2005 and from a national influenza surveillance system from 2005 to 2009. H1 and H3 HA phylogenetic trees rooted to vaccine strains A/Beijing/295/1995 (H1N1) and A/Moscow/10/1999 (H3N2), respectively, were constructed with contemporary HA sequences of isolates from neighboring countries. We found some genetic differences between seasonal influenza H3N2 viruses and three WHO influenza vaccine strains recommended for use in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres for the 2001–2004 and 2007–2008 seasons and close genetic identity of circulating H3N2 strains with the recommended WHO Southern Hemisphere vaccine strains for 2004 and 2009 seasons. The genetic similarity of circulating H1N1 strains with the WHO recommended vaccine strains are described for the study period 2001–2009. Conclusions  The HA gene of seasonal influenza virus strains in Vietnam (especially influenza A/H3N2) showed varying degrees of genetic identity compared with those of the Northern or Southern Hemisphere vaccine strains recommended by WHO. The close relatedness of the HA of Vietnamese strains and contemporary strains from nearby countries indicate a good genetic match of circulating strains during study period. Greater representation of virus isolates from South East Asia in the vaccine strain selection process is desirable of influenza vaccine development in Vietnam.     

2010年安徽省蚊虫标本分离到基因Ⅰ型流行性乙型脑炎病毒

目的在安徽省不同地区开展流行性乙型脑炎病毒(JEV)病原学调查,了解当地JEV的基因型别及分子特征。方法 2010年8月在安徽省阜阳、淮南、安庆市的3个标本采集点使用诱蚊灯采集蚊虫标本,通过组织培养法分离病毒,并对病毒分离物进行血清学和分子生物学鉴定;利用生物信息学技术对新分离病毒的序列进行分析,完成同源性和系统发生分析。结果采集到3属3种共计7651只蚊虫标本,通过组织培养技术分离得到11株病毒分离物,鉴定结果显示均为基因Ⅰ型JEV。安徽省JEV新分离株与基因Ⅰ型JEV的同源性最高,核苷酸同源性为96.8%～99.5%,氨基酸同源性为97.8%～100%。结论在安徽省首次分离到基因Ⅰ型JEV,与我国上海市及浙江省JEV分离株进化关系较近。     

华东地区散发性戊型肝炎病毒系统进化分析

目的 了解华东地区散发性戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)的系统进化特征.方法 2005-2008年收集华东地区14家二级或三级医院413份散发戊型肝炎患者血清,应用巢式RT-PCR方法检测HEVRNA并测序.参照GenBank相关序列,分析各序列之间的同源性,并构建进化树.结果 413例患者的男女性别比为1.75:1,40～69岁患者居多(61.5%).413份患者血清有140份分离出HEV RNA,阳性分离率为34%.所有分离的140份病毒株均属于HEV Ⅳ型,与Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ型参考病毒株的核苷酸同源性分别为77.9%～88.3%、80.8%～90.6%、73.4%～85.2%和91.0%～95.4%.结论 基因Ⅳ型HEV是引起华东地区散发性戊型肝炎的优势病毒株,其起源和进化等问题仍需进一步研究.     

云南境外禽流感H5N1亚型病毒神经氨酸酶基因进化及分子结构特征分析

目的:禽流感病毒神经氨酸酶(NA)是病毒粒子重要表面抗原之一,其抗原性差异决定病毒神经氨酸酶亚型(N1-N9)的划分。NA介导病毒对敏感细胞的侵染及协助子代病毒粒子的成熟和释放,与病毒的宿主嗜性及毒力有关。方法:对2003~2009年期间采集自云南境外家禽的H5N1亚型阳性样品中病毒NA基因进行测序,并与国内外已知代表毒株进行序列比对及系统发育分析。认识云南境外禽流感H5N1亚型病毒神经氨酸酶(NA)基因分子结构特征。结果:21份代表性病毒样品NA基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性介于94.3%~99.3%、93.1%~99.3%。系统发育分析表明可划分为6个不同进化(亚)分支(1、7、9、2.4、2.3.2、2.3.4),其中进化亚分支2.3.4毒株已成为当前云南境外流行的优势毒株;所有云南境外毒株NA蛋白的49-68位氨基酸均存在缺失。结论:糖基化位点存在特有变异;云南境外毒株对Oseltam ivir(达菲)类抗病毒药物可能无耐药性。     

Forensic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of both Y-STR and Y-SNP in the Li and Han ethnic groups from Hainan Island of China

Hainan Island is the southernmost and smallest Chinese province, isolated from the mainland. The Li and Han ethnic groups account for over 98% of the population on the island. However, the Li ethnic group is an indigenous community of Hainan Island, with great differences in culture, language and origin with respect to the Han, the largest ethnic group. Here, we studied these two ethnic groups from the perspective of the Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) and short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) to unravel their forensic and phylogenetic characteristics. A total of 302 unrelated male samples from the Li and Han ethnic groups in Hainan Island were genotyped by a combination of three separate typing systems (next-generation sequencing and pyrosequencing for the Y-SNPs and capillary electrophoresis for the Y-STRs), a previously developed high-resolution panel containing 141 Y-SNPs and 27 Y-STRs. The haplotype diversity of the Li ethnic group reached 0.9997, and 49 terminal haplogroups were observed in the Li and Han ethnic groups. Haplogroup O1b1a1a1a1a1b-CTS5854 was the most predominant haplogroup, including 44.12% of Li individuals. Median-joining trees showed little gene flow between the Li and Han individuals, as well as between the Li and other ethnic groups in Hainan Island. Our results indicated that 1) in contrast with the Han ethnic group, a low degree of genetic diversity was observed in the Li ethnic group; 2) there was limited gene flow between the Li and Han ethnic groups; and 3) founder effect was identified in the Li ethnic group in Hainan Island.