G+C content differs in conserved and variable amino acid residues of flaviviruses and other evolutionary groups.
Flaviviruses are small RNA viruses that exhibit genetic and ecological diversity and a wide range of G+C content (GC%). We discovered that, amongst flaviviruses, the GC% of nucleotides encoding conserved amino acid (AA) residues was consistently higher than that of nucleotides encoding variable AAs. This intriguing phenomenon was also identified for a wide range of other viruses, and some non-viral evolutionary groups. Here, we analyse the possible mechanisms underlying this imbalanced nucleotide content (in particular the role of the specific G content and the AA composition in flaviviral genomes) and discuss its evolutionary implications. Our findings suggest that one of the most simple characteristics of the genetic code (i.e., the G or G+C content of codons) is linked with the evolutionary behavior of the corresponding encoded AAs.
UMR "Emergence des Pathologies Virales" (EPV: Aix-Marseille University - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - EHESP), 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France. Electronic address: raphaelle.klitting@posteo.de.
Raphaëlle
R
Klitting
UMR "Emergence des Pathologies Virales" (EPV: Aix-Marseille University - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - EHESP), 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France. Electronic address: eag@ceh.ac.uk.
Ernest Andrew
EA
Gould
UMR "Emergence des Pathologies Virales" (EPV: Aix-Marseille University - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - EHESP), 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée-Infection, 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France. Electronic address: xavier.de-lamballerie@univ-amu.fr.
Xavier
X
de Lamballerie
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000235:genetics*; D001482:Base Composition / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny
D000596:Amino Acids
Evolution; Flavivirus; G+C content