Molecular evolution and circulation patterns of human respiratory syncytial virus subgroup a: positively selected sites in the attachment g glycoprotein.

ABSTRACT: Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the most common etiological agent of acute lower respiratory tract disease in infants and can cause repeated infections throughout life. In this study, we have analyzed nucleotide sequences encompassing 629 bp at the carboxy terminus of the G glycoprotein gene for HRSV subgroup A strains isolated over 47 years, including 112 Belgian strains isolated over 19 consecutive years (1984 to 2002). By using a maximum likelihood method, we have tested the presence of diversifying selection and identified 13 positively selected sites with a posterior probability above 0.5. The sites under positive selection correspond to sites of O glycosylation or to amino acids that were previously described as monoclonal antibody-induced in vitro escape mutants. Our fin

SUBMITTER: Zlateva KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC387670 | biostudies-literature | 2004 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature