Genetic analysis of attachment glycoprotein (G) gene in new genotype ON1 of human respiratory syncytial virus detected in Japan.

We studied the evolution of the G gene in the new genotype ON1 of RSV detected from patients with acute respiratory infection in Japan. Phylogenetic analyses and the evolutionary timescale were obtained by the Bayesian MCMC method. We also analyzed p-distance and positive selection sites. A new genotype ON1 emerged around 2001. The evolution rate was rapid (3.57 × 10(-3) substitutions/site per year). The p-distance was short and no positive selection site was found in the present strains. These results suggested that a new genotype ON1 of RSV-A emerged approximately10 years ago and spread to some countries with a high evolution rate.