Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Isolation and Quantification of Epstein-Barr Virus from the P3HR1 Cell Line
Published on: September 28, 2022
Lineage structures in the genome sequences of three Epstein-Barr virus strains
Duncan J McGeoch1, Derek Gatherer
1Medical Research Council Virology Unit, Institute of Virology, University of Glasgow, Church Street, Glasgow G11 5JR, UK. d.mcgeoch@mrcvu.gla.ac.uk
Abstract:
Whole genome sequences for three Epstein-Barr virus strains (B95-8, GD1 and AG876) were aligned and compared. In addition to known variable loci (including type-specific alleles for the EBNA2, EBNA3A, EBNA3B and EBNA3C genes, plus the EBNA1 and LMP1 genes), seven large-scale regions of lower-level diversity were identified with strains at each in two major groupings. All three possible patterns of strain associations were represented across the seven loci. Tree-building studies supported the existence of two distinct lineages in each case, and occurrence of recombination between lineages therefore has to be invoked to account for the observed genotypes of virus strains.
Related Concept Videos
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Viruses of Archaea
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Viral Recombination
Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes

