title: Diversity and evolution of the envelope gene of dengue virus type 1.
abstract: The genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of a collection of strains of dengue virus type 1 (DV-1), isolated from different parts of the world, were investigated. Phylogenetic trees derived from the complete sequence of the E gene of 44 strains suggested the existence of five genetic types defined by a maximum nucleotide divergence within each group of 6%. The 22 strains from America were classified into a single genetic type that included strains associated either with classical dengue or hemorrhagic dengue episodes. Using a maximum likelihood procedure based on a single rate with dated tips model and substitution rates calculated at the third codon position, evolution of the five DV-1 genotypes was shown to conform to a molecular clock. The average rate of evolution was estimated to be approximately 16.2 x 10(-4) substitutions/third codon position site/year. Using this estimate, divergence among the DV-1 genotypes was calculated to have occurred approximately 100 years ago. Very low average value of the ratio of nonsynonymous-to-synonymous nucleotide substitutions, relative to the respective sites (0.046), indicated that the evolution of the E gene of the DV-1 is subject mostly to purifying selection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cienti;ficas, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Goncalvez
authors.forename: Ananias A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Escalante
authors.forename: Flor H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ludert
authors.forename: Duilia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.forename: Rosa A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liprandi
mesh_terms: D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C072281:E protein TH Sman, Dengue virus