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Tick Microbiome Characterization by Next-Generation 16S rRNA Amplicon Sequencing
Published on: August 25, 2018
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Baltic lineage of tick-borne encephalitis virus: A putative evolutionary pathway
1Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Natural Sciences, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia.
Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
|August 2, 2016
Summary
The Baltic subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Sib Baltic) likely originated in Northwest Russia and the Baltic countries around 300 years ago. This subtype then diversified into distinct clades across Eurasia, influenced by human activity and tick populations.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a significant arbovirus with three subtypes, including the genetically diverse Siberian subtype.
- The Siberian subtype (TBEV-Sib) is further divided into Asian (TBEV-Sib Asia) and Baltic (TBEV-Sib Baltic) lineages, with the latter's origin remaining unclear.
- Previous hypotheses suggest TBEV-Sib Asia originated in Siberia approximately 370 years ago.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the origin, evolutionary age, and geographical distribution of the TBEV-Sib Baltic lineage.
- To investigate the phylogenetic relationships and diversification pathways of TBEV-Sib Baltic.
- To elucidate the co-evolutionary dynamics between TBEV subtypes and their tick vectors.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of the E gene fragment from 20 new and 164 existing TBEV-Sib Baltic strains.
- Application of the clusteron approach to identify distinct viral clusters and their evolutionary history.
- Integration of geographical distribution data, tick population structure, and historical evidence.
Main Results:
- Identification of three novel clusterons within TBEV-Sib Baltic.
- Discovery of three distinct clades of TBEV-Sib Baltic, each with a specific geographical distribution.
- Estimation that the oldest clade, Balt I, emerged approximately 300 years ago in Northwest Russia/Baltic countries, likely driven by human activity, and subsequently spread to the Urals and West Siberia.
- Postulation that both European TBEV and TBEV-Sib Baltic may have diverged from a common ancestor (clusteron-founder 3A of TBEV-Sib Asia), adapting to different tick vectors (Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus, respectively).
Conclusions:
- The TBEV-Sib Baltic lineage has a traceable evolutionary history originating in the Baltic region around 300 years ago.
- Human activity and specific tick subpopulations played crucial roles in the diversification and spread of TBEV-Sib Baltic.
- The study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the evolutionary pathways of TBEV subtypes and lineages.
