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Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection
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Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection

Published on: May 24, 2020

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Modern-day SIV viral diversity generated by extensive recombination and cross-species transmission

Sidney M Bell1,2, Trevor Bedford1

  • 1Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

Plos Pathogens
|July 4, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Understanding cross-species transmission (CST) of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) is crucial. This study reveals 14 ancient CST events and varying host-switching abilities among lentiviruses, offering insights into epidemic origins.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Cross-species transmission (CST) of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) has caused major human epidemics, including HIV-1 and HIV-2.
  • The evolutionary history and host-switching patterns of the over 45 primate-infecting lentiviruses remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the natural history of SIV recombination and CST using a phylogenetic approach.
  • To characterize historical host switches and transmission rates between primate lentiviruses.

Main Methods:

  • Modeled host species as a discrete character on the viral phylogeny.
  • Inferred historical host switches and pairwise transmission rates among 24 primate hosts.

Main Results:

  • Identified 14 novel, well-supported, ancient cross-species transmission events.
  • Found significant variation in lentiviral host-switching ability, with SIVagms frequently moving between subspecies and SIVcol being evolutionarily isolated.
  • Revealed unknown genomic origins for SIVcpz, the HIV-1 predecessor.

Conclusions:

  • Cross-species transmission patterns are influenced by ecological factors and host innate immunity.
  • Phylogenetic analysis provides critical insights into the complex history of lentiviral host switching and epidemic emergence.

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