Adaptive diversification between the classic rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and the RHDVa isolates: A genome-wide perspective. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yan; Yao, Xueping; Li, Ying; Xu, Feifei; Yang, Zexiao
• Is Part Of: Microbial pathogenesis. Volume 110(2017)
• Page Start: 527
• Page End: 532
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Pathogenic microorganisms -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- parasitology -- Periodicals; Micro-organismes pathogènes -- Périodiques; Pathologie moléculaire -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.07.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0882-4010

Abstract

Abstract: Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a highly infectious pathogen that causes high mortality in wild and domestic rabbits. RHDV could be divided into two subtypes, classic RHDV and RHDVa, which present clear genetic, antigenic, and epidemiological differences. To further understand the nature of the diversity, we performed a genome-wide evolutionary study on the classic RHDV and RHDVa isolates. The results show that RHDV had experienced adaptive diversification with the dividing process of these subtypes. Furthermore, amino acid changes relevant to the adaptive diversification mainly cluster in viral capsid protein VP60. These results might be beneficial for a further understanding the function of VP60 and provide helpful hints for the genetic basis of RHDV emergence and re-emergence. Highlights: The classic RHDV and RHDVa isolates present clear genetic and antigenic differences. A genome-wide genetic study was conducted on the classic RHDV and RHDVa subtypes. The adaptive diversification has taken place with the split of the RHDV subtypes. The putative functional divergence-related changes mainly cluster in protein VP60.