Stability of murine cytomegalovirus genome after in vitro and in vivo passage.
While large DNA viruses are thought to have low mutation rates, only a small fraction of their genomes have been analyzed at the single-nucleotide level. Here, we defined the genetic stability of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) by whole-genome sequencing. Independently assembled sequences of three sister plaques showed only two single-base-pair substitutions after in vitro passage. In vivo-passaged MCMV likewise demonstrated low mutation rates, comparable to those after in vitro passage, indicating high genome stability of MCMV at the single-nucleotide level in the absence of obvious selection pressure.
Cheng
Tammy P
TP
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Valentine
Mark C
MC
Gao
Jian
J
Pingel
Jeanette T
JT
Yokoyama
Wayne M
WM
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016679:Genome, Viral; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA