title: Molecular comparisons of full length metapneumovirus (MPV) genomes, including newly determined French AMPV-C and -D isolates, further supports possible subclassification within the MPV Genus.
abstract: Four avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) subgroups (A-D) have been reported previously based on genetic and antigenic differences. However, until now full length sequences of the only known isolates of European subgroup C and subgroup D viruses (duck and turkey origin, respectively) have been unavailable. These full length sequences were determined and compared with other full length AMPV and human metapneumoviruses (HMPV) sequences reported previously, using phylogenetics, comparisons of nucleic and amino acid sequences and study of codon usage bias. Results confirmed that subgroup C viruses were more closely related to HMPV than they were to the other AMPV subgroups in the study. This was consistent with previous findings using partial genome sequences. Closer relationships between AMPV-A, B and D were also evident throughout the majority of results. Three metapneumovirus "clusters" HMPV, AMPV-C and AMPV-A, B and D were further supported by codon bias and phylogenetics. The data presented here together with those of previous studies describing antigenic relationships also between AMPV-A, B and D and between AMPV-C and HMPV may call for a subclassification of metapneumoviruses similar to that used for avian paramyxoviruses, grouping AMPV-A, B and D as type I metapneumoviruses and AMPV-C and HMPV as type II.
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lemaitre
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: François-Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Briand
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Courtillon
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guionie
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allée
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toquin
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bayon-Auboyer
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jestin
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Avian and Rabbit Virology Immunology and Parasitology Unit (VIPAC), Université Européenne de Bretagne, Ploufragan/Plouzané laboratory, Ploufragan, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eterradossi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D003062:Codon