Madinda, NF, Ehlers, B, Wertheim, JO, Akoua-Koffi, C, Bergl, RA, Boesch, C, Akonkwa, DBM, Eckardt, W, Fruth, B, Gillespie, TR, Gray, M, Hohmann, G, Karhemere, S, Kujirakwinja, D, Langergraber, K, Muyembe, J-J, Nishuli, R, Pauly, M, Petrzelkova, KJ, Robbins, MM et al, Todd, A, Schubert, G, Stoinski, TS, Wittig, RM, Zuberbuhler, K, Peeters, M, Leendertz, FH and Calvignac-Spencer, S (2016) Assessing Host-Virus Codivergence for Close Relatives of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infecting African Great Apes. Journal of Virology, 90 (19). pp. 8531-8541. ISSN 0022-538X

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	06 Biological Sciences, 07 Agricultural And Veterinary Sciences, 11 Medical And Health Sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Natural Sciences & Psychology (closed 31 Aug 19)
Publisher:	American Society for Microbiology
Related URLs:	Author
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2018 11:16
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 02:29
DOI or ID number:	10.1128/JVI.00247-16
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/9246

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