title: Genome sequence diversity and clues to the evolution of variola (smallpox) virus.
abstract: Comparative genomics of 45 epidemiologically varied variola virus isolates from the past 30 years of the smallpox era indicate low sequence diversity, suggesting that there is probably little difference in the isolates' functional gene content. Phylogenetic clustering inferred three clades coincident with their geographical origin and case-fatality rate; the latter implicated putative proteins that mediate viral virulence differences. Analysis of the viral linear DNA genome suggests that its evolution involved direct descent and DNA end-region recombination events. Knowing the sequences will help understand the viral proteome and improve diagnostic test precision, therapeutics, and systems for their assessment.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. jesposito@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sammons
authors.forename: A Michael
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frace
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olsen-Rasmussen
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dhwani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Govil
authors.forename: Inger K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Damon
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laker
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Geoffrey L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wohlhueter
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017353:Gene Deletion; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012899:Smallpox / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D012901:Variola virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D020543:Proteome; D014764:Viral Proteins