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Intrasegmental recombination as an evolutionary force of Lassa fever virus
Cheng-Qiang He1, Chao Kong1, Mei He1
1Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|June 4, 2024
Summary
Homologous recombination (HR) occurs in Lassa virus (LASV), a dangerous pathogen. This genetic process, particularly in the S segment, may drive Lassa fever virus evolution and outbreaks.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Lassa fever (LF) poses a significant public health threat, caused by the Lassa virus (LASV).
- Homologous recombination (HR) is a fundamental genetic mechanism driving biological evolution.
- The occurrence and impact of HR in negative-stranded RNA viruses like LASV remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether homologous recombination (HR) occurs in Lassa virus (LASV).
- To determine the influence of HR on the evolution and outbreak dynamics of Lassa fever (LF).
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis of 575 S segments and 433 L segments of LASV collected across Africa.
- Comparative analysis of recombinant proportions between S and L segments.
Main Results:
- Lassa virus (LASV) demonstrates the capacity for homologous recombination (HR) in both its S and L segments.
- A significantly higher proportion of LASV S segments exhibited recombination compared to L segments, despite the S segment's smaller size.
- These findings indicate HR is a potential feature of LASV's genetic repertoire.
Conclusions:
- Homologous recombination (HR) is likely an integral feature of Lassa virus (LASV) evolution.
- HR may facilitate the generation of beneficial mutations or the elimination of detrimental ones in LASV.
- This genetic mechanism likely plays a crucial role in LASV evolution during Lassa fever (LF) outbreaks.
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