title: Distinct patterns of evolution between respiratory syncytial virus subgroups A and B from New Zealand isolates collected over thirty-seven years.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important cause of viral lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children worldwide. In New Zealand, infants with RSV disease are hospitalized at a higher rate than other industrialized countries, without a proportionate increase in known risk factors. The molecular epidemiology of RSV in New Zealand has never been described. Therefore, we analyzed viral attachment glycoprotein (G) gene sequences from 106 RSV subgroup A isolates collected in New Zealand between 1967 and 2003, and 38 subgroup B viruses collected between 1984 and 2004. Subgroup A and B sequences were aligned separately, and compared to sequences of viruses isolated from other countries during a similar period. Genotyping and clustering analyses showed RSV in New Zealand is similar and temporally related to viruses found in other countries. By quantifying temporal clustering, we found subgroup B viruses clustered more strongly than subgroup A viruses. RSV B sequences displayed more variability in stop codon usage and predicted protein length, and had a higher degree of predicted O-glycosylation site changes than RSV A. The mutation rate calculated for the RSV B G gene was significantly higher than for RSV A. Together, these data reveal that RSV subgroups exhibit different patterns of evolution, with subgroup B viruses evolving faster than A.
authors.affiliation: Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.forename: Fenella J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cohet
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grimwood
authors.forename: Q Sue
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hendy
authors.forename: Joanna R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kirman
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018388:Codon, Terminator / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018388:Codon, Terminator; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins