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Biol Open. 2012 Apr 15;1(4):385-90. doi: 10.1242/bio.2012281. Epub 2012 Feb 16.
A comprehensive analysis of reassortment in influenza A virus.
de Silva UC, Tanaka H, Nakamura S, Goto N, Yasunaga T.
Source
Department of Genome Informatics ; World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Centre, Osaka University , Osaka 565-0871 , Japan.
Abstract
Genetic reassortment plays a vital role in the evolution of the influenza virus and has historically been linked with the emergence of pandemic strains. Reassortment is believed to occur when a single host - typically swine - is simultaneously infected with multiple influenza strains. The reassorted viral strains with novel gene combinations tend to easily evade the immune system in other host species, satisfying the basic requirements of a virus with pandemic potential. Therefore, it is vital to continuously monitor the genetic content of circulating influenza strains and keep an eye out for new reassortants. We present a new approach to identify reassortants from large data sets of influenza whole genome nucleotide sequences and report the results of the first ever comprehensive search for reassortants of all published influenza A genomic data. 35 of the 52 well supported candidate reassortants we found are reported here for the first time while our analysis method offers new insight that enables us to draw a more detailed picture of the origin of some of the previously reported reassortants. A disproportionately high number (13/52) of the candidate reassortants found were the result of the introduction of novel hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase genes into a previously circulating virus. The method described in this paper may contribute towards automating the task of routinely searching for reassortants among newly sequenced strains.
PMID:
23213428
[PubMed - in process]
A comprehensive analysis of reassortment in influenza A virus.
de Silva UC, Tanaka H, Nakamura S, Goto N, Yasunaga T.
Source
Department of Genome Informatics ; World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Centre, Osaka University , Osaka 565-0871 , Japan.
Abstract
Genetic reassortment plays a vital role in the evolution of the influenza virus and has historically been linked with the emergence of pandemic strains. Reassortment is believed to occur when a single host - typically swine - is simultaneously infected with multiple influenza strains. The reassorted viral strains with novel gene combinations tend to easily evade the immune system in other host species, satisfying the basic requirements of a virus with pandemic potential. Therefore, it is vital to continuously monitor the genetic content of circulating influenza strains and keep an eye out for new reassortants. We present a new approach to identify reassortants from large data sets of influenza whole genome nucleotide sequences and report the results of the first ever comprehensive search for reassortants of all published influenza A genomic data. 35 of the 52 well supported candidate reassortants we found are reported here for the first time while our analysis method offers new insight that enables us to draw a more detailed picture of the origin of some of the previously reported reassortants. A disproportionately high number (13/52) of the candidate reassortants found were the result of the introduction of novel hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase genes into a previously circulating virus. The method described in this paper may contribute towards automating the task of routinely searching for reassortants among newly sequenced strains.
PMID:
23213428
[PubMed - in process]
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