Preprint Article Version 1 This version is not peer-reviewed

Phylogenomic Signatures of a Lineage of Vesicular Stomatitis Indiana Virus Circulating During the 2019–2020 Epidemic in the United States

Version 1 : Received: 7 October 2024 / Approved: 8 October 2024 / Online: 8 October 2024 (14:02:48 CEST)

How to cite: Zarate, S.; Bertram, M. R.; Rodgers, C.; Reed, K.; Pelzel-McCluskey, A.; Gomez-Romero, N.; Rodriguez, L. L.; Mayo, C.; Mire, C.; Pond, S. L. K.; Velazquez-Salinas, L. Phylogenomic Signatures of a Lineage of Vesicular Stomatitis Indiana Virus Circulating During the 2019–2020 Epidemic in the United States. Preprints 2024, 2024100585. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.0585.v1 Zarate, S.; Bertram, M. R.; Rodgers, C.; Reed, K.; Pelzel-McCluskey, A.; Gomez-Romero, N.; Rodriguez, L. L.; Mayo, C.; Mire, C.; Pond, S. L. K.; Velazquez-Salinas, L. Phylogenomic Signatures of a Lineage of Vesicular Stomatitis Indiana Virus Circulating During the 2019–2020 Epidemic in the United States. Preprints 2024, 2024100585. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.0585.v1

Abstract

For the first time, we describe phylogenomic signatures of an epidemic lineage of vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSIV). We applied multiple evolutionary analyses to a dataset of full-length genome sequences representing the circulation of an epidemic VSIV lineage in the US between 2019 and 2020. Based on phylogenetic analyses, we predicted the ancestral relationship of this lineage with a specific group of isolates circulating in the endemic zone of Chiapas, Mexico. Subsequently, our findings indicate that the lineage diversified into at least four different subpopulations during its circulation in the US. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that differentiate viral subpopulations and assessed their potential relevance using comparative phylogenetic methods, highlighting the preponderance of synonymous mutations during the differentiation of these populations. Purifying selection was the main evolutionary force favoring the conservation of this epidemic phenotype, with P and G genes as the main drivers of the evolution of this lineage. Our analyses identified multiple codon sites under positive selection and the association of these sites with specific functional domains at P, M, G, and L proteins. Based on ancestral reconstruction analyses, we showed the potential relevance of some of the sites identified under positive selection to the adaptation of the epidemic lineage at the population level. Finally, using a representative group of viruses from Colorado, we established a positive correlation between genetic and geographical distances, suggesting that positive selection on specific codon positions might have favored the adaptation of different subpopulations to circulation in specific geographical settings. Collectively, our study reveals the complex dynamics that accompany the evolution of an epidemic lineage of VSIV in nature. Our analytical framework provides a model for conducting future evolutionary analyses. The ultimate goal is to support the implementation of an early warning system for vesicular stomatitis virus in the US, enabling early detection of epidemic precursors from Mexico.

Keywords

Vesicular stomatitis virus; evolution; positive selection; negative selection; epidemic lineages; natural selection

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Virology

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.