@article{fdi:010068172,
  title = {{A}ssessing host-virus codivergence for close relatives of merkel cell polyomavirus infecting african great apes},
  author = {{M}adinda, {N}. {F}. and {E}hlers, {B}. and {W}ertheim, {J}. {O}. and {A}koua-{K}offi, {C}. and {B}ergl, {R}. {A}. and {B}oesch, {C}. and {A}konkwa, {D}. {B}. {M}. and {E}ckardt, {W}. and {F}ruth, {B}. and {G}illespie, {T}. {R}. and {G}ray, {M}. and {H}ohmann, {G}. and {K}arhemere, {S}. and {K}ujirakwinja, {D}. and {L}angergraber, {K}. and {M}uyembe, {J}. {J}. and {N}ishuli, {R}. and {P}auly, {M}. and {P}etrzelkova, {K}. {J}. and {R}obbins, {M}. {M}. and {T}odd, {A}. and {S}chubert, {G}. and {S}toinski, {T}. {S}. and {W}ittig, {R}. {M}. and {Z}uberbuhler, {K}. and {P}eeters, {M}artine and {L}eendertz, {F}. {H}. and {C}alvignac-{S}pencer, {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}t has long been hypothesized that polyomaviruses ({P}y{V}; family {P}olyomaviridae) codiverged with their animal hosts. {I}n contrast, recent analyses suggested that codivergence may only marginally influence the evolution of {P}y{V}. {W}e reassess this question by focusing on a single lineage of {P}y{V} infecting hominine hosts, the {M}erkel cell polyomavirus ({MCP}y{V}) lineage. {B}y characterizing the genetic diversity of these viruses in seven {A}frican great ape taxa, we show that they exhibit very strong host specificity. {R}econciliation analyses identify more codivergence than noncodivergence events. {I}n addition, we find that a number of host and {P}y{V} divergence events are synchronous. {C}ollectively, our results support codivergence as the dominant process at play during the evolution of the {MCP}y{V} lineage. {M}ore generally, our results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting an ancient and stable association of {P}y{V} and their animal hosts. {IMPORTANCE} {T}he processes involved in viral evolution and the interaction of viruses with their hosts are of great scientific interest and public health relevance. {I}t has long been thought that the genetic diversity of double-stranded {DNA} viruses was generated over long periods of time, similar to typical host evolutionary timescales. {T}his was also hypothesized for polyomaviruses ( family {P}olyomaviridae), a group comprising several human pathogens, but this remains a point of controversy. {H}ere, we investigate this question by focusing on a single lineage of polyomaviruses that infect both humans and their closest relatives, the {A}frican great apes. {W}e show that these viruses exhibit considerable host specificity and that their evolution largely mirrors that of their hosts, suggesting that codivergence with their hosts played a major role in their diversification. {O}ur results provide statistical evidence in favor of an association of polyomaviruses and their hosts over millions of years.},
  keywords = {{COTE} {D}'{IVOIRE} ; {REPUBLIQUE} {DEMOCRATIQUE} {DU} {CONGO} ; {CAMEROUN} ; {CENTRAFRIQUE} ; {GABON} ; {RWANDA} ; {OUGANDA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {V}irology},
  volume = {90},
  numero = {19},
  pages = {8531--8541},
  ISSN = {0022-538{X}},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1128/jvi.00247-16},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068172},
}