A full-genome phylogenetic analysis of varicella-zoster virus reveals a novel origin of replication-based genotyping scheme and evidence of recombination between major circulating clades.

ABSTRACT: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a remarkably stable virus that until recently was thought to exhibit near-universal genetic homogeneity among circulating wild-type strains. In recent years, the expanding knowledge of VZV genetics has led to a number of groups proposing sequence-based typing schemes, but no study has yet examined the relationships between VZV genotypes at a full-genome level. A central hypothesis of this study is that VZV has coevolved with humankind. In this study, 11 additional full VZV genomic sequences are presented, bringing the current number of complete genomic sequences publicly available to 18. The full-genome alignment contained strains representing four distinct clades, but the possibility exists that a fifth clade comprised of African and Asian-like isolates was

SUBMITTER: Peters GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1617253 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature