Genetic linkage among human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein N (gN) and gO genes, with evidence for recombination from congenitally and post-natally infected Japanese infants.
Investigation of sequence polymorphisms in the glycoprotein N (gN; gp4273), gO (gp4274) and gH (gp4275) genes of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strains collected from 63 Japanese children revealed that their gO genotype distribution differed slightly from that of Caucasian populations and that there was a significant linkage between the gN and gO genotypes. Linkage of these genotypes in strains obtained from Caucasian populations has been reported, so our similar findings in Japanese infants are consistent with this, and suggest generality of this linkage. Sequence analysis suggests that recombination between two strains of different linkage groups occurred approximately 200 bp upstream of the 3'-end of the gO gene. Further studies are required to elucidate differences in biological characteristics among the linkage groups and the selective constraints that maintain the linkage.
Yan
Hainian
H
Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Koyano
Shin
S
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College, Hokkaido, Japan.
Inami
Yuhki
Y
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Yamamoto
Yumiko
Y
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Suzutani
Tatsuo
T
Department of Microbiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
Mizuguchi
Masashi
M
Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Ushijima
Hiroshi
H
Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Kurane
Ichiro
I
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue
Naoki
N
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.