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Title: Mosaic Structure Of Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Genomes

Author
item JACKSON, A - UNIV. OF GLASGOW
item VAN RENSBURG, H - UNIV. OF CAPE TOWN
item CARRILLO, CONSUELO - USDA,APHIS, PIADC
item Rodriguez, Luis
item HAYDON, DANIEL - UNIV. OF GLASGOW

Submitted to: Journal of General Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2006
Publication Date: 2/1/2007
Citation: Jackson, A.L., Van Rensburg, H., Carrillo, C., Rodriguez, L.L., Haydon, D.T. 2007. Mosaic Structure Of Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Genomes. Journal of General Virology. 88:487-492. doi:10.1099/vir.0.82555-0.

Interpretive Summary: Genetic analysis of the genomes of 144 foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDV), most of which were sequenced at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) revealed that a high level of genetic exchange (recombination) among serotypes. These genetic exchanges occurred primarily in the non-structural proteins and to a lesser extent within the capsid region. Most viruses exchanging genetic information shared geographic distribution. This study, first of its kind, provides a unique inside on the mechanisms of FMDV evolution and points out the importance of full-genomic sequencing to monitor the emergence of novel FMDV that can cause serious epidemics.

Technical Abstract: We report the results of a simple pairwise scanning analysis designed to identify inter-serotype recombination events applied to genome data from 144 isolates of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) representing all seven serotypes. We identify large numbers of candidate recombinant fragments from all parts of the FMDV genome with the exception of the capsid genes, within which such fragments are infrequent. After accounting for the likelihood of chance intertypic convergences in highly conserved parts of the FMDV genome we conclude that intertypic recombination is widespread throughout the non-structural genes, but that recombination over the 2B/C and 3B/C gene boundaries appears to be less frequent than expected given the large numbers of recombinant gene fragments arising in these genes. As expected, intertypic fragment exchange was consistent with the geographic distribution of FMDV serotypes.