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Suh, Alexander 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8979-9992, Brosius, Jürgen, Schmitz, Jürgen and Kriegs, Jan Ole
(2013)
The genome of a Mesozoic paleovirus reveals the evolution of hepatitis B viruses.
Nature Communications, 4.
ISSN 2041-1723
Abstract
Paleovirology involves the identification of ancient endogenous viral elements within eukaryotic genomes. The evolutionary origins of the reverse-transcribing hepatitis B viruses, however, remain elusive, due to the small number of endogenized sequences present in host genomes. Here we report a comprehensively dated genomic record of hepatitis B virus endogenizations that spans bird evolution from >82 to <12.1 million years ago. The oldest virus relic extends over a 99% complete hepatitis B virus genome sequence and constitutes the first discovery of a Mesozoic paleovirus genome. We show that Hepadnaviridae are >63 million years older than previously known and provide direct evidence for coexistence of hepatitis B viruses and birds during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras. Finally, phylogenetic analyses and distribution of hepatitis B virus relics suggest that birds potentially are the ancestral hosts of Hepadnaviridae and mammalian hepatitis B viruses probably emerged after a bird-mammal host switch. Our study reveals previously undiscovered and multi-faceted insights into prehistoric hepatitis B virus evolution and provides valuable resources for future studies, such as in-vitro resurrection of Mesozoic hepadnaviruses.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | chemistry(all),biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology(all),physics and astronomy(all),sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1600 |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Sep 2022 15:36 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Sep 2024 16:48 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/88422 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/ncomms2798 |
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