title: Evidence of recombination and positive selection in cetacean papillomaviruses.
abstract: Papillomaviruses (PVs) are small DNA viruses that have been associated with increased epithelial proliferation. Over one hundred PV types have been identified in humans; however, only three have been identified in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to date. Using rolling circle amplification and degenerate PCR, we identified four novel PV genomes of bottlenose dolphins. TtPV4, TtPV5 and TtPV6 were identified in genital lesions while TtPV7 was identified in normal genital mucosa. Bayesian analysis of the full-length L1 genes found that TtPV4 and TtPV7 group within the Upsilonpapillomavirus genus while TtPV5 and TtPV6 group with Omikronpapillomavirus. However, analysis of the E1 gene did not distinguish these genera, implying that these genes may not share a common history, consistent with recombination. Recombination analyses identified several probable events. Signals of positive selection were found mostly in the E1 and E2 genes. Recombination and diversifying selection pressures constitute important driving forces of cetacean PV evolution.
authors.affiliation: Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Center for Marine Veterinary Virology, San Diego, CA 92109, USA. refugio.robles1@gmail.com
authors.forename: Refugio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robles-Sikisaka
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Hendrik H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Nollens
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: St Leger
authors.forename: Wendy N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Durden
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stolen
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burchell
authors.forename: James F X
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wellehan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008297:Male; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic