Walling D M, Shebib N, Weaver S C, Nichols C M, Flaitz C M, Webster-Cyriaque J
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0835, USA.
J Infect Dis. 1999 Apr;179(4):763-74. doi: 10.1086/314672.
The phylogeny and evolution of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genetic variation are poorly understood. EBV latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) gene sequences are especially heterogeneous and may be useful as a tool for EBV genotype identification. Therefore, LMP-1 sequences obtained directly from EBV-infected human tissues were examined by PCR amplification and cloning. EBV genotypes were defined as "strains" from among 22 identified LMP-1 sequence patterns. Three molecular mechanisms were identified by which genetic diversity arises in the LMP-1 gene: point mutation, sequence deletion or duplication, and homologous recombination. The rate of LMP-1 gene evolution was found to be accelerated by coinfection with multiple EBV strains. The results of this study refine our understanding of LMP-1 sequence variation and enable accurate discrimination between independent EBV infection events and the consequence of intrahost EBV evolution. Thus, this LMP-1 sequence-based approach to EBV molecular epidemiology will facilitate the study of intrahost EBV infection, coinfection, and persistence.
人们对爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒（EBV）基因变异的系统发育和进化了解甚少。EBV潜伏膜蛋白1（LMP-1）基因序列尤其具有异质性，可能作为EBV基因型鉴定的一种工具。因此，通过聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增和克隆来检测直接从EBV感染的人体组织中获得的LMP-1序列。EBV基因型被定义为22种已鉴定的LMP-1序列模式中的“菌株”。研究确定了LMP-1基因产生遗传多样性的三种分子机制：点突变、序列缺失或重复以及同源重组。研究发现，多重EBV菌株共感染会加速LMP-1基因的进化速度。这项研究的结果深化了我们对LMP-1序列变异的理解，并能够准确区分独立的EBV感染事件以及宿主内EBV进化的结果。因此，这种基于LMP-1序列的EBV分子流行病学方法将有助于研究宿主内EBV感染、共感染和持续性。
