Genetic and phenotypic characterization of sylvatic dengue virus type 4 strains

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2012-02, Vol.423 (1), p.58-67
• Main Authors: Rossi, S.L, Nasar, F, Cardosa, J, Mayer, S.V, Tesh, R.B, Hanley, K.A, Weaver, S.C, Vasilakis, Nikos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aedes; Aedes - virology; Animals; Cell Line; Dengue - veterinary; Dengue - virology; Dengue virus; Dengue Virus - classification; Dengue Virus - genetics; Dengue Virus - isolation & purification; Dengue virus type 4; Ecotype; Evolution, Molecular; Genotype; Haplorhini; Humans; Infectious Disease; Insect Vectors - virology; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Phenotype; Phylogeny; Primate Diseases - virology; Viral Proteins - genetics
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.11.018

Abstract Four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV 1–4) currently circulate between humans and domestic/peridomestic Aedes mosquitoes, resulting in 100 million infections per year. All four serotypes emerged, independently, from sylvatic progenitors transmitted among non-human primates by arboreal Aedes mosquitoes. This study investigated the genetic and phenotypic changes associated with emergence of human DENV-4 from its sylvatic ancestors. Analysis of complete genomes of 3 sylvatic and 4 human strains revealed high conservation of both the 5′- and 3′-untranslated regions but considerable divergence within the open reading frame. Additionally, the two ecotypes did not differ significantly in replication dynamics in cultured human liver (Huh-7), monkey kidney (Vero) or mosquito (C6/36) cells, although significant inter-strain variation within ecotypes was detected. These findings are in partial agreement with previous studies of DENV-2, where human strains produced a larger number of progeny than sylvatic strains in human liver cells but not in monkey or mosquito cells.