Ability to replicate in the cytoplasm predicts zoonotic transmission of livestock viruses.
Understanding viral factors that promote cross-species transmission is important for evaluating the risk of zoonotic emergence. We constructed a database of viruses of domestic artiodactyls and examined the correlation between traits linked in the literature to cross-species transmission and the ability of viruses to infect humans. Among these traits--genomic material, genome segmentation, and replication without nuclear entry--the last is the strongest predictor of cross-species transmission. This finding highlights nuclear entry as a barrier to transmission and suggests that the ability to complete replication in the cytoplasm may prove to be a useful indicator of the threat of cross-species transmission.
Pulliam
Juliet R C
JR
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. pulliamjuliet@mail.nih.gov
Dushoff
Jonathan
J
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000821:virology; D001188:Artiodactyla / Q000821:virology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000821:virology*; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication; D014780:Viruses / Q000254:growth & development*; D015047:Zoonoses