Genomic transfers help to decipher the ancient evolution of filoviruses and interactions with vertebrate hosts.

ABSTRACT: Although several filoviruses are dangerous human pathogens, there is conflicting evidence regarding their origins and interactions with animal hosts. Here we attempt to improve this understanding using the paleoviral record over a geological time scale, protein structure predictions, tests for evolutionary maintenance, and phylogenetic methods that alleviate sources of bias and error. We found evidence for long branch attraction bias in the L gene tree for filoviruses, and that using codon-specific models and protein structural comparisons of paleoviruses ameliorated conflict and bias. We found evidence for four ancient filoviral groups, each with extant viruses and paleoviruses with open reading frames. Furthermore, we found evidence of repeated transfers of filovirus-like elements to mou

SUBMITTER: Taylor DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11398700 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature