Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 3, 57-74, Copyright © 1986 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
N Saitou and M Nei
The nucleotide sequences of four genes of the influenza A virus
(nonstructural protein, matrix protein, and a few subtypes of hemagglutinin
and neuraminidase) are compiled for a large number of strains isolated from
various locations and years, and the evolutionary relationship of the
sequences is investigated. It is shown that all of these genes or subtypes
are highly polymorphic and that the polymorphic sequences (alleles) are
subject to rapid turnover in the population, their average age being much
less than that of higher organisms. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that
most polymorphic sequences within a subtype or a gene appeared during the
last 80 years and that the divergence among the subtypes of hemagglutinin
genes might have occurred during the last 300 years. The high degree of
polymorphism in this RNA virus is caused by an extremely high rate of
mutation, estimated to be 0.01/nucleotide site/year. Despite the high rate
of mutation, most influenza virus genes are apparently subject to purifying
selection, and the rate of nucleotide substitution is substantially lower
than the mutation rate. There is considerable variation in the substitution
rate among different genes, and the rate seems to be lower in nonhuman
viral strains than in human strains. The difference might be responsible
for the so-called freezing effect in some viral strains.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Polymorphism and evolution of influenza A virus genes
Center for Demographic and Population Genetics, University of Texas, Houston 77225.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Y. Suzuki and M. Nei Origin and Evolution of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Genes Mol. Biol. Evol., April 1, 2002; 19(4): 501 - 509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Ito, J. N. S. S. Couceiro, S. Kelm, L. G. Baum, S. Krauss, M. R. Castrucci, I. Donatelli, H. Kida, J. C. Paulson, R. G. Webster, et al. Molecular Basis for the Generation in Pigs of Influenza A Viruses with Pandemic Potential J. Virol., September 1, 1998; 72(9): 7367 - 7373. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. J. Hinnebusch, A. G. Barbour, B. I. Restrepo, and T. G. Schwan Population Structure of the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia hermsii as Indicated by Polymorphism of Two Multigene Families That Encode Immunogenic Outer Surface Lipoproteins Infect. Immun., February 1, 1998; 66(2): 432 - 440. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|