1/7 - "The evolutionary rate of the related variola virus has been estimated to be about about 1-2 nucleotide changes per year for a nearly 200,000 nucleotide genome. This makes 47 substitutions in the space of 3-4 years an unexpectedly large number."
virological.org/t/initial-obse…
virological.org/t/initial-obse…
2/7 - As #MonkeypoxVirus is considered a zoonotic virus with limited human to human transmission, this long branch may be evidence of adaptation to humans allowing for the sustained transmission that is now observed."
3/7 - "However, 42 out of 47 of these nucleotide changes are of a particular type, a dinucleotide change from TC→TT or its reverse complement GA→AA. This specific mutation is characteristic of the action of the APOBEC3 family of deaminases."
4/7 - "This could indicate that the 42 changes were the result of bouts of deamination during virus replication due to host antiviral defences.[...] The normal action of APOBEC3 enzymes is anti-viral."
5/7 - "[Three questions]
- Is this putative APOBEC3 editing occurring in a non-human animal reservoir host prior to emergence into humans in limited chains of human transmission?"
- Is this putative APOBEC3 editing occurring in a non-human animal reservoir host prior to emergence into humans in limited chains of human transmission?"
6/7 - "cont'd
- Does this tree represent a multi-year history of sustained human transmission?"
- Does this tree represent a multi-year history of sustained human transmission?"
7/7 - "cont'd
- Is the action of APOBEC3 acting as a driver of adaptation to humans as a host?"
- Is the action of APOBEC3 acting as a driver of adaptation to humans as a host?"
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
