Genome analysis suggests HTLV-1aA introduction in Chile related to migrations of ancestral indigenous populations

Louise Zanella; Ismael Riquelme; Maria Elena Reyes; Francisca Infante; Soledad Reyes; Eugenio Ramirez; Carmen, Ili; Priscilla, Brebi

Keywords: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV), Genome dating analysis, Chile, ancestral migrations

Abstract

The human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), unlike other RNA viruses such as HIV, has a stable genome and has infected humans since remote times. Although the HTLV-1 infection is endemic in South America, there is scarce information about HTLV-1 in Chile and its history of introduction. This study assessed the genomic content of HTLV-1 from Chile and its relationship with HTLV-1 lineages circulating worldwide by phylogenetic reconstruction and dating analyses. A total of 30 HTLV-1 genomes collected from the four continents were used to conduct dating analyses, including the first HTLV-1 genome from Amerindian/Mapuche ethnicity. Estimation was performed using a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo coalescent-based approach as implemented in the BEAST program. The time of the most recent ancestor of HTLV-1 from Chile was ∼1409 years ago, which coincides with the period of Amerindian population expansion across South America. Our results suggest HTLV-1aA was possibly introduced in Chile during the migrations of the ancestral indigenous populations.

Más información

Título de la Revista: VIRUS RESEARCH
Volumen: 311
Editorial: Elsevier
Fecha de publicación: 2022
Idioma: Ingles
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168170222000156