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Parallel evolution in the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza a viruses

Abstract:
Parallel molecular evolution and adaptation are important phenomena commonly observed in viruses. Here, we exploit parallel molecular evolution to understand virulence evolution in avian influenza viruses (AIV). Highly-pathogenic AIVs evolve independently from low-pathogenic ancestors via acquisition of polybasic cleavage sites. Why some AIV lineages but not others evolve in this way is unknown. We hypothesise that the parallel emergence of highly-pathogenic AIV may be facilitated by permissive or compensatory mutations occurring across the viral genome. We combine phylogenetic, statistical and structural approaches to discover parallel mutations in AIV genomes associated with the highly-pathogenic phenotype. Parallel mutations were screened using a statistical test of mutation-phenotype association and further evaluated in the contexts of positive selection and protein structure. Our resulting mutational panel may help to reveal new links between virulence evolution and other traits, and raises the possibility of predicting aspects of AIV evolution.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41467-020-19364-x

Authors

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Zoology
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Zoology
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Zoology
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
NDM
Sub department:
Structural Biology
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Communications More from this journal
Volume:
11
Article number:
5511
Publication date:
2020-11-02
Acceptance date:
2020-10-12
DOI:
EISSN:
2041-1723


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1138693
Local pid:
pubs:1138693
Deposit date:
2020-10-21
ARK identifier:

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