Chia-Chi Lin1, Chi-Ching Lee2, Siao-Han Lin1, Po-Jung Huang2, Hsin-Pai Li3, Yu-Sun Chang4, Petrus Tang5, Mei Chao6. 1. Division of Microbiology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 2. Bioinformatics Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 3. Division of Microbiology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 4. Division of Microbiology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 5. Division of Microbiology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Bioinformatics Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Parasitology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: petang@mail.cgu.edu.tw. 6. Division of Microbiology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: pa0728@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only animal RNA virus that has an unbranched rod-like genome with ribozyme activity. It replicates in the nucleus by host RNA polymerase via a rolling circle mechanism. Similar to many RNA viruses encoding their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, homologous recombination of HDV occurs in mixed-genotype infections and in cultured cells cotransfected with two HDV sequences, as demonstrated by molecular analyses. METHODS: Among 237 published complete genomic sequences, 34 sequences were reported from the small and isolated Miyako Island, Japan, and belonged to the Asia-specific genotypes, HDV-2 and HDV-4 (the majority of them belonged to the known Miyako Island-specific subgroup, HDV-4M). We investigated the presence of naturally occurring HDV recombinant in Miyako Island using phylogenetic and recombination analyses. RESULTS: We identified a two-switch HDV-4/4M intersubtype recombinant with an unbranched rod-like RNA genome. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that RNA recombination plays an important role in the rapid evolution of HDV, allowing the production of new HDV strains with correct genomic structures.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only animal RNA virus that has an unbranched rod-like genome with ribozyme activity. It replicates in the nucleus by host RNA polymerase via a rolling circle mechanism. Similar to many RNA viruses encoding their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, homologous recombination of HDV occurs in mixed-genotype infections and in cultured cells cotransfected with two HDV sequences, as demonstrated by molecular analyses. METHODS: Among 237 published complete genomic sequences, 34 sequences were reported from the small and isolated Miyako Island, Japan, and belonged to the Asia-specific genotypes, HDV-2 and HDV-4 (the majority of them belonged to the known Miyako Island-specific subgroup, HDV-4M). We investigated the presence of naturally occurring HDV recombinant in Miyako Island using phylogenetic and recombination analyses. RESULTS: We identified a two-switch HDV-4/4M intersubtype recombinant with an unbranched rod-like RNA genome. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that RNA recombination plays an important role in the rapid evolution of HDV, allowing the production of new HDV strains with correct genomic structures.
Authors: Peter A Revill; Thomas Tu; Hans J Netter; Lilly K W Yuen; Stephen A Locarnini; Margaret Littlejohn Journal: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2020-05-28 Impact factor: 46.802