Dynamic reassortments and genetic heterogeneity of the human-infecting influenza A (H7N9) virus.
Influenza A (H7N9) virus has been causing human infections in China since February 2013, raising serious concerns of potential pandemics. Previous studies demonstrate that human infection is directly linked to live animal markets, and that the internal genes of the virus are derived from H9N2 viruses circulating in the Yangtze River Delta area in Eastern China. Here following analysis of 109 viruses, we show a much higher genetic heterogeneity of the H7N9 viruses than previously reported, with a total of 27 newly designated genotypes. Phylogenetic and genealogical inferences reveal that genotypes G0 and G2.6 dominantly co-circulate within poultry, with most human isolates belonging to the genotype G0. G0 viruses are also responsible for the inter- and intra-province transmissions, leading to the genesis of novel genotypes. These observations suggest the province-specific H9N2 virus gene pools increase the genetic diversity of H7N9 via dynamic reassortments and also imply that G0 has not gained overwhelming fitness and the virus continues to undergo reassortment.
1] Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China [2].
Lunbiao
L
Cui
1] CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [2] Network Information Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [3].
Di
D
Liu
1] School of Basic Medical Sciences, Taishan Medical College, Shandong Province, China [2] CAS Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [3].
Weifeng
W
Shi
1] Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Province, China [2].
Jingcao
J
Pan
1] Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China [2].
Xian
X
Qi
1] Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China [2] University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Xianbin
X
Li
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Xiling
X
Guo
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Minghao
M
Zhou
Network Information Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Wei
W
Li
Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Province, China.
Jun
J
Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Joel
J
Haywood
Tianjin Institute of Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.
Haixia
H
Xiao
Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Province, China.
Xinfen
X
Yu
Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Province, China.
Xiaoying
X
Pu
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Ying
Y
Wu
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Huiyan
H
Yu
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Kangchen
K
Zhao
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Yefei
Y
Zhu
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Bin
B
Wu
BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Tao
T
Jin
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Zhiyang
Z
Shi
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Fenyang
F
Tang
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Fengcai
F
Zhu
Network Information Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Qinglan
Q
Sun
Network Information Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Linhuan
L
Wu
Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.
Ruifu
R
Yang
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jinghua
J
Yan
CAS Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Fumin
F
Lei
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Baoli
B
Zhu
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Wenjun
W
Liu
Network Information Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Juncai
J
Ma
Key Laboratory of Enteric Pathogenic Microbiology (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Province, China.
Hua
H
Wang
1] CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [2] University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [3] Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China [4] Office of Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing, China.
George F
GF
Gao
D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D006801:Humans; D064766:Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics*