A systematic genotype and subgenotype re-ranking of hepatitis B virus under a novel classification standard. Issue 10 (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yin, Yonghua; He, Kai; Wu, Bingting; Xu, Min; Du, Lianming; Liu, Wei; Liao, Pu; Liu, Yu; He, Miao
• Is Part Of: Heliyon. Volume 5:Issue 10(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Clinical genetics -- Infectious disease -- Phylogenetic analysis -- Genotyping -- Taxonomy -- Recombination -- Hepatitis B virus; Research -- Periodicals; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; 507.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02556
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8440

Abstract

Abstract: Background and aim: It is commonly noticed that chaotic and inefficient subgenotyping are universally used academically and clinically, a standardized HBV genotype/subgenotype classification criterion is urgently acquired. Sequence similarity, which was commonly used for the last three decades, should be upgraded by phylogenetic analysis in genotyping of recombinant-free HBV strains. Methods: In this study, 4, 429 HBV whole-genome sequences were employed to reconstruct the phylogeny of HBV using Bayesian inference. After excluding recombinant sequences, calculating partitioned evolutionary models, excluding recombinant sequences, reconstructing phylogenetic trees, and performing a correlation analysis of genetic distances, geographical distribution and serotypes, we systematically redefined the genotypes and subgenotypes of HBV. Results: Compared to previous taxonomy, fourteen subgenotypes (A5-A7; B5-B9; C2-C4, C7; and D6-D7) were revised in the new standard. Now the HBV is divided into ten genotypes (A-J) and 24 subgenotypes (A1-A3; B1-B5; C1-C6; D1-D6; and F1-F4). Conclusion: Our robust genotype/subgenotype new taxonomy has objectively re-molded the current shape of HBV classification. We believe that all future hepatitis B related researches or diagnosis will be benefited under the new HBV genotyping/subgenotyping standards.