Complete-genome analysis of hepatitis B virus from wild-born chimpanzees in central Africa demonstrates a strain-specific geographical cluster.
In order to determine whether geographical or species clustering accounts for the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in subspecies of chimpanzees in Africa, four complete chimpanzee HBV (ChHBV) genome sequences were obtained from eight hepatitis B surface antigen-positive wild-born chimpanzees from Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Gabon. The serological profiles of these chimpanzees corresponded to the acute or chronic highly replicative phase of HBV infection, as confirmed by high plasma HBV loads. Analysis of the sequence alignment of 256 aa (S region) from the eight HBV-infected chimpanzees allowed us to determine the HBV amino acid patterns specific to each chimpanzee subspecies and to their geographical origin. Phylogenetic analysis of both the S region and the complete genome confirmed this distinctive clustering of eight novel ChHBV strains within Pan troglodytes. The strong phylogenetic associations of ChHBV sequences with both chimpanzee subspecies and their geographical origin were therefore confirmed.
Makuwa
Maria
M
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Souquière
Sandrine
S
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Bourry
Olivier
O
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Rouquet
Pierre
P
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Telfer
Paul
P
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Mauclère
Philippe
P
Institut Pasteur, Dakar, Sénégal.
Kazanji
Mirdad
M
Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Unité de Rétrovirologie et Centre de Primatologie, Franceville, Gabon.
Roques
Pierre
P
Service de Neurologie, Commissariat Energie Atomique, Fontenay aux Roses, France.
Simon
François
F
Hôpital St Louis, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France.
D000350:Africa, Central; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005843:Geography; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000821:virology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins