Molecular and phylogenetic characterization of novel papillomaviruses isolated from oral and anogenital neoplasms of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Skubic, Lucijan (author), Hošnjak, Lea (author), Staheli, Jeannette P. (author), Dyen, Michael R. (author), Ducore, Rebecca M. (author), Colgin, Lois M. A. (author), Lewis, Anne D. (author), Poljak, Mario (author)

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are a diverse group of host species-specific DNA viruses, etiologically linked with various benign and malignant neoplasms of cutaneous and mucosal epithelia. Here, we describe the detection and characterization of the first two PVs naturally infecting Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), including the determination of their etiological association(s) with the development of original neoplasms. The molecular and phylogenetic analyses were performed on complete genome sequences of Macaca fuscata PV types 1 (MfuPV1) and 2 (MfuPV2), which were completely sequenced in samples of a malignant oral tumor and benign anogenital neoplasm of Japanese macaques, respectively. Subsequently, two type-specific quantitative real-time PCRs were developed to estimate viral loads of MfuPV1 and MfuPV2 and to evaluate their etiological roles. The in silico molecular analyses revealed that both viral genomes encode characteristic PV proteins with conserved functional domains and have a non-coding genomic region with regulatory sequences to regulate and complete the viral life cycle. However, additional experimental evidence is needed to finally confirm the presence and biological functionality of the molecular features of both novel PVs. While MfuPV1, together with PVs identified in other macaques, is classified into the Alphapapillomavirus (Alpha-PV) species 12, MfuPV2 is most likely a representative of the novel viral species within the Alpha-PV genus. Their relatively high viral loads suggest that both PVs are etiologically linked with the development of the original neoplasms.

• Language: English
• Keywords: papillomavirus, Macaca fuscata, molecular analysis, Alphapapillomavirus, phylogenetic analysis, viral load
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 19 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 4, art. 630
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135194
• UDC: 616.9
• ISSN on article: 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v13040630
• COBISS.SI-ID: 58799107
• Publication date in RUL: 28.02.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Viruses
• Shortened title: Viruses
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1999-4915
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517597977

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 07.04.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: papiloma virus, Macaca fuscata, molekularna analiza