title: [Temporal and spatial population dynamics of rabies virus isolates in China].
abstract: In order to study phylogeography, population dynamics and molecular evolution of rabies viruses (RABVs) isolates from China, especially spatio-temporal dynamics, the timescale of RABVs evolution and its pattern of migration, we performed an extensive comparative analysis of RABV N gene sequence data, representing 167 isolates sampled from 20 provinces in a 78-year period (from 1931 through 2009). The available Chinese isolates could be divided into two distinct clades:Phylogroup clades I comprised Chinese group 1-4; Phylogroup clades II contained Chinese group 5-8. We found no evidence for positive selection (dN/dS>1) acting at any codon and found strong selective constraints for N gene. Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis suggested that the Chinese rabies viruses originated within the last 2000 years and the mean rates of nucleotide substitution for the N gene were approximately 4 x 10(-4) substitutions per site per year. The analyses of the spatial and spatio-temporal evolution indicated that RABV isolates from China migrated among different Provinces.
authors.affiliation: Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, Wuhan 430060, China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ge-Lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jia-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D058974:Phylogeography; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*