Evidence of ancient papillomavirus recombination.
An open question amongst papillomavirus taxonomists is whether recombination has featured in the evolutionary history of these viruses. Since the onset of the global AIDS epidemic, the question is somewhat less academic, because immune-compromised human immunodeficiency virus patients are often co-infected with extraordinarily diverse mixtures of human papillomavirus (HPV) types. It is expected that these conditions may facilitate the emergence of HPV recombinants, some of which might have novel pathogenic properties. Here, a range of rigorous analyses is applied to full-genome sequences of papillomaviruses to provide convincing statistical and phylogenetic evidence that evolutionarily relevant papillomavirus recombination can occur.
Varsani
Arvind
A
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.|Electron Microscope Unit, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
van der Walt
Eric
E
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
Heath
Livio
L
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
Rybicki
Edward P
EP
Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.|Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
Williamson
Anna Lise
AL
Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
Martin
Darren P
DP
Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic