Isolation and identification of inter-species enterovirus recombinant genomes
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2021
Abstract
Positive-strand RNA virus evolution is partly attributed to the process of recombination. Although common between closely genetically related viruses, such as within species of the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family, inter-species recombination is rarely observed in nature. Recent studies have shown recombination is a ubiquitous process, resulting in a wide range of recombinant genomes and progeny viruses. While not all recombinant genomes yield infectious progeny virus, their existence and continued evolution during replication have critical implications for the evolution of the virus population. In this study, we utilised an in vitro recombination assay to demonstrate inter-species recombination events between viruses from four enterovirus species, A-D. We show that inter-species recombinant genomes are generated in vitro with polymerase template-switching events occurring within the virus polyprotein coding region. However, these genomes did not yield infectious progeny virus. Analysis and attempted recovery of a constructed recombinant cDNA revealed a restriction in positive-strand but not negative-strand RNA synthesis, indicating a significant block in replication. This study demonstrates the propensity for inter-species recombination at the genome level but suggests that significant sequence plasticity would be required in order to overcome blocks in the virus life cycle and allow for the production of infectious viruses.
Keywords
Recombination, Enterovirus, Virus evolution
Divisions
fac_med
Funders
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)[BB/M009343/1],Wellcome Trust,University of St Andrews,Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship[NA160353]
Publication Title
Viruses-Basel
Volume
13
Issue
12
Publisher
MDPI