Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Validating Whole Genome Nanopore Sequencing, using Usutu Virus as an Example
05:45

Validating Whole Genome Nanopore Sequencing, using Usutu Virus as an Example

Published on: March 11, 2020

9.0K

Puumala Virus Variants Circulating in Forests of Ardennes, France: Ten Years of Genetic Evolution

Guillaume Castel1, Elodie Monchatre-Leroy2, Marc López-Roig3,4

  • 1CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Université Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France.

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 28, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Puumala virus (PUUV) genetic diversity in bank voles varied between two French forests over ten years. Higher bank vole survival in Elan forest correlated with lower PUUV seroprevalence and genetic diversity compared to Croix-Scaille forest.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Virology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Puumala virus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica (NE) in Europe, transmitted by bank voles (Myodes glareolus).
  • Limited data exists on PUUV spatial and temporal genetic variability within French bank vole populations.
  • The Ardennes region presents diverse environmental conditions influencing NE epidemiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To monitor bank vole population dynamics and PUUV microdiversity over a decade (2000-2009).
  • To investigate PUUV genetic diversity in relation to host population parameters in two distinct forest ecosystems.
  • To understand the interplay between host population dynamics and viral microevolution.

Main Methods:

  • Capture-mark-recapture method for estimating bank vole density and population parameters.
  • Blood sample collection for monitoring PUUV seroprevalence in rodent populations.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of 55 PUUV sequences to assess genetic diversity.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in PUUV patterns were observed between Elan and Croix-Scaille forests.
  • Elan forest exhibited higher bank vole survival, leading to lower PUUV seroprevalence and sequence diversity.
  • Croix-Scaille forest showed higher PUUV seroprevalence and greater genetic diversity, linked to higher population turnover.

Conclusions:

  • Bank vole population dynamics significantly influence PUUV microevolution and genetic diversity.
  • Host survival rates and population turnover are key factors in shaping PUUV distribution.
  • Understanding these host-virus interactions is crucial for assessing NE risk.
Keywords:
Myodes glareolusOrthohantavirusevolutionmicrodiversitypopulation dynamicsseroprevalence

More Related Videos

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency18:10

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Published on: June 16, 2011

29.8K
Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes08:56

Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes

Published on: July 27, 2018

11.2K

Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
35.2K
Gene Flow02:39

Gene Flow

Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.
36.2K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
60.1K
Genetic Variation01:25

Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes exist in different versions called alleles,...
876
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs01:05

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs

A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
16.8K
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
24.0K