Dataset Information

Homologous recombination shapes the genetic diversity of African swine fever viruses.

ABSTRACT: The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has severely influenced the swine industry of the world. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or drugs against the ASFV. How to effectively control the virus is challenging. In this study, we have analyzed all the publicly available ASFV genomes and demonstrated that there was a large genetic diversity of ASFV genomes. Interestingly, the genetic diversity was mainly caused by extensive genomic insertions and/or deletions (indels) instead of the point mutations. Further analyses showed that the indels may be attributed much to the homologous recombination, as supported by significant associations between the occurrence of extensive recombination events and the indels in the ASFV genomes. Besides, the homologous recombination also led to changes of gene content of ASFVs. Finally, repeated elements of dozens of nucleotides in length were observed to widely distribute and cluster in the adjacent positions of ASFV genomes, which may facilitate the occurrence of homologous recombination. This work highlighted the importance of homologous recombination in shaping the genetic diversity of the ASFVs, and could help understand the evolution of the virus.

SUBMITTER: Zhu Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7172151 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Homologous recombination shapes the genetic diversity of African swine fever viruses.

Zhu Zhaozhong Z Xiao Chao-Ting CT Fan Yunshi Y Cai Zena Z Lu Congyu C Zhang Gaihua G Jiang Taijiao T Tan Yongjun Y Peng Yousong Y

Veterinary microbiology 20190810

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has severely influenced the swine industry of the world. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or drugs against the ASFV. How to effectively control the virus is challenging. In this study, we have analyzed all the publicly available ASFV genomes and demonstrated that there was a large genetic diversity of ASFV genomes. Interestingly, the genetic diversity was mainly caused by extensive genomic insertions and/or deletions (indels) instead of the point muta ...[more]

PMID: 31500735

Similar Datasets

Project description:Recently moderate-virulence classical swine fever virus (CSFV) strains have been proven capable of generating postnatal persistent infection (PI), defined by the maintenance of viremia and the inability to generate CSFV-specific immune responses in animals. These animals also showed a type I interferon blockade in the absence of clinical signs. In this study, we assessed the infection generated in 7-week-old CSFV PI wild boars after infection with the African swine fever virus (ASFV). The wild boars were divided in two groups and were infected with ASFV. Group A comprised boars who were CSFV PI in a subclinical form and Group B comprised pestivirus-free wild boars. Some relevant parameters related to CSFV replication and the immune response of CSFV PI animals were studied. Additionally, serum soluble factors such as IFN-α, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ and sCD163 were analysed before and after ASFV infection to assess their role in disease progression.After ASFV infection, only the CSFV PI wild boars showed progressive acute haemorrhagic disease; however, the survival rates following ASFV infection was similar in both experimental groups. Notwithstanding, the CSFV RNA load of CSFV PI animals remained unaltered over the study; likewise, the ASFV DNA load detected after infection was similar between groups. Interestingly, systemic type I FN-α and IL-10 levels in sera were almost undetectable in CSFV PI animals, yet detectable in Group B, while detectable levels of IFN-γ were found in both groups. Finally, the flow cytometry analysis showed an increase in myelomonocytic cells (CD172a+) and a decrease in CD4+ T cells in the PBMCs from CSFV PI animals after ASFV infection.Our results showed that the immune response plays a role in the progression of disease in CSFV subclinically infected wild boars after ASFV infection, and the immune response comprised the systemic type I interferon blockade. ASFV does not produce any interference with CSFV replication, or vice versa. ASFV infection could be a trigger factor for the disease progression in CSFV PI animals, as their survival after ASFV was similar to that of the pestivirus-free ASFV-infected group. This fact suggests a high resistance in CSFV PI animals even against a virus like ASFV; this may mean that there are relevant implications for CSF control in endemic countries. The diagnosis of ASFV and CSFV co-infection in endemic countries cannot be ruled out and need to be studied in greater depth.

Dataset Information

Homologous recombination shapes the genetic diversity of African swine fever viruses.

Publications

Homologous recombination shapes the genetic diversity of African swine fever viruses.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets