BACKGROUND: Genome diversity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is prominent among DNA viruses; which, allowed the virus to be genetically classified into eight genotypes and several subgenotypes. OBJECTIVE: To introduce and to characterize a novel subgenotype HBV, classified as A6. STUDY DESIGN: HBV full-length genomes were isolated and sequenced from three African-Belgian patients chronically infected with the virus. Using phylogenetic reconstruction and genetic distance calculation, the evolutionary relationships of the novel strains were investigated. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis based on complete genome sequences of genotype A strains revealed distinct clusters supported by high bootstrap values. The three African-Belgian strains clustered separately from the other known A subgenotypes (A1-A5) with maximal bootstrap support (100%). The mean inter-subgenotypic nucleotide divergence over the complete genome sequence between the novel A6 strains and A1-A5 was higher than 4%. CONCLUSION: Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome sequences yielded maximal bootstrap value support for nodes that establish the new lineage as a novel subgenotype. In addition, nucleotide divergence more than 4% based on full-length genome of the virus, clearly demonstrated that the three African-Belgian strains belonged to a novel subgenotype of HBV, which was assigned as "A6". Noteworthy, the phylogeny of genotype A demonstrated that the A6 is a basal lineage that diverged earlier from the other African subgenotypes of genotype A. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
BACKGROUND: Genome diversity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is prominent among DNA viruses; which, allowed the virus to be genetically classified into eight genotypes and several subgenotypes. OBJECTIVE: To introduce and to characterize a novel subgenotype HBV, classified as A6. STUDY DESIGN:HBV full-length genomes were isolated and sequenced from three African-Belgian patients chronically infected with the virus. Using phylogenetic reconstruction and genetic distance calculation, the evolutionary relationships of the novel strains were investigated. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis based on complete genome sequences of genotype A strains revealed distinct clusters supported by high bootstrap values. The three African-Belgian strains clustered separately from the other known A subgenotypes (A1-A5) with maximal bootstrap support (100%). The mean inter-subgenotypic nucleotide divergence over the complete genome sequence between the novel A6 strains and A1-A5 was higher than 4%. CONCLUSION: Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome sequences yielded maximal bootstrap value support for nodes that establish the new lineage as a novel subgenotype. In addition, nucleotide divergence more than 4% based on full-length genome of the virus, clearly demonstrated that the three African-Belgian strains belonged to a novel subgenotype of HBV, which was assigned as "A6". Noteworthy, the phylogeny of genotype A demonstrated that the A6 is a basal lineage that diverged earlier from the other African subgenotypes of genotype A. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors: Alcione O Santos; Mónica V Alvarado-Mora; Lívia Botelho; Deusilene S Vieira; João R Rebello Pinho; Flair J Carrilho; Eduardo R Honda; Juan M Salcedo Journal: Virol J Date: 2010-11-12 Impact factor: 4.099
Authors: Joseph C Forbi; Yousr Ben-Ayed; Guo-liang Xia; Gilberto Vaughan; Jan Drobeniuc; William M Switzer; Yury E Khudyakov Journal: J Clin Virol Date: 2013-07-17 Impact factor: 3.168
Authors: Mónica V Alvarado-Mora; Camila M Romano; Michele S Gomes-Gouvêa; Maria F Gutierrez; Flair J Carrilho; João R R Pinho Journal: Virol J Date: 2012-10-24 Impact factor: 4.099
Authors: Mónica V Alvarado-Mora; Livia S Botelho-Lima; Rubia A Santana; Roberta Sitnik; Paulo Abrão Ferreira; Francisco do Amaral Mello; Cristovão P Mangueira; Flair J Carrilho; João R Rebello Pinho Journal: BMC Res Notes Date: 2013-10-21