Assessing host-virus codivergence for close relatives of Merkel cell polyomavirus infecting African great apes

0462538 - ÚBO 2017 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Madinda, N. F. - Ehlers, B. - Wertheim, J. O. - Akoua-Koffi, C. - Bergl, R. A. - Boesch, C. - Akonkwa, D. B. M. - Eckardt, W. - Fruth, B. - Gillespie, T. R. - Gray, M. - Hohmann, G. - Karhemere, S. - Kujirakwinja, D. - Langergraber, K. - Muyembe, J.-J. - Nishuli, R. - Pauly, M. - Petrželková, Klára Judita - Robbins, M. M. - Todd, A. - Schubert, G. - Stoinski, T. S. - Wittig, R. M. - Zuberbühler, K. - Peeters, M. - Leendertz, F. H. - Calvignac-Spencer, S.
Assessing host-virus codivergence for close relatives of Merkel cell polyomavirus infecting African great apes.
Journal of Virology. Roč. 90, č. 19 (2016), s. 8531-8541. ISSN 0022-538X. E-ISSN 1098-5514
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/09/0927
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : JC virus * divergence times * evolution * phylogenies * selection * bats * coevolution * population * chimpanzee * diversity
Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine
Impact factor: 4.663, year: 2016

It has long been hypothesized that polyomaviruses (PyV; family Polyomaviridae) codiverged with their animal hosts. In contrast, recent analyses suggested that codivergence may only marginally influence the evolution of PyV. We reassess this question by focusing on a single lineage of PyV infecting hominine hosts, the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) lineage. By characterizing the genetic diversity of these viruses in seven African great ape taxa, we show that they exhibit very strong host specificity. Reconciliation analyses identify more codivergence than noncodivergence events. In addition, we find that a number of host and PyV divergence events are synchronous. Collectively, our results support codivergence as the dominant process at play during the evolution of the MCPyV lineage. More generally, our results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting an ancient and stable association of PyV and their animal hosts.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0261974