HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary material Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Macken, C. A. Articles by Bruno, W. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Macken, C. A. Articles by Bruno, W. J. Agricola Articles by Macken, C. A. Articles by Bruno, W. J.

Genotype turnover by reassortment of replication complex genes from avian Influenza A virus

¹ Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, T-10 MS-K710, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
² Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA

Correspondence
Catherine A. Macken
cmacken{at}lanl.gov

Reassortment among the RNA segments of Influenza A virus caused the two most recent human influenza pandemics; recently, reassortment has generated viral genotypes associated with outbreaks of avian H5N1 influenza in Asia and Europe. A statistical analysis has been developed for the systematic identification and characterization of reassortant viruses. The analysis was applied to the genes of the replication complex of 152 avian influenza A viruses isolated between 1966 and 2004 from predominantly terrestrial and domestic aquatic avian species. The results indicated that reassortment among these genes was pervasive throughout this period and throughout both the Eurasian and North American lineages of the virus. Evidence is presented that the circulating genotypes of the replication complex are being replaced continually by novel genotypes created by reassortment. No constraints for coordinated reassortment among genes of the replication complex were evident; rather, reassortment almost always proceeded one segment at a time. A maximum-likelihood estimate of the rate of reassortment was derived. For significantly diverged Asian avian influenza A viruses from the period 1991–2004, it was estimated that the median duration between creation of a new genotype and its next segment reassortment was 3 years. Reassortments that introduced previously unobserved influenza genetic material were detected. These findings point to substantial potential for rapid generation of novel avian influenza A viruses, emphasizing the importance of intensive surveillance of these host species in preparation for a possible pandemic.

Published online ahead of print on 10 July 2006 as DOI 10.1099/vir.0.81454-0.

Supplementary material is available in JGV Online.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. M. Codoner and S. F. Elena The promiscuous evolutionary history of the family Bromoviridae J. Gen. Virol., July 1, 2008; 89(7): 1739 - 1747. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Campitelli, A. Di Martino, D. Spagnolo, G. J. D. Smith, L. Di Trani, M. Facchini, M. A. De Marco, E. Foni, C. Chiapponi, A. M. Martin, et al. Molecular analysis of avian H7 influenza viruses circulating in Eurasia in 1999 2005: detection of multiple reassortant virus genotypes J. Gen. Virol., January 1, 2008; 89(1): 48 - 59. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]