Abstract
The Poxviridae family is comprised of double-stranded DNA viruses belonging to nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV). Among the NCLDV, poxviruses exhibit the widest known host range, which is likely observed because this viral family has been more heavily investigated. However, relative to each member of the Poxviridae family, the spectrum of the host is variable, where certain viruses can infect a large range of hosts, while others are restricted to only one host species. It has been suggested that the variability in host spectrum among poxviruses is linked with the presence or absence of some host range genes. Would it be possible to extrapolate the restriction of viral replication in a specific cell lineage to an animal, a far more complex organism? In this study, we compare and discuss the relationship between the host range of poxvirus species and the abundance/diversity of host range genes. We analyzed the sequences of 38 previously identified and putative homologs of poxvirus host range genes, and updated these data with deposited sequences of new poxvirus genomes. Overall, the term host range genes might not be the most appropriate for these genes, since no correlation between them and the viruses’ host spectrum was observed, and a change in nomenclature should be considered. Finally, we analyzed the evolutionary history of these genes, and reaffirmed the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) for certain elements, as previously suggested. Considering the data presented in this study, it is not possible to associate the diversity of host range factors with the amount of hosts of known poxviruses, and this traditional nomenclature creates misunderstandings.
Highlights
Poxviruses are among the best known and most feared viruses
Known poxvirus host range genes are currently grouped into 12 distinct classes, some of which have only one gene (e.g., K3L, E3L, K1L, others), and others exhibiting many members, which likely result from lineage duplication events [20]
When we look at each member of the Poxviridae family, the host spectrum is variable, wherein some viruses can infect a large range of hosts [25,26,27], while others are restricted to only one host species [3,28,29]
Summary
Poxviruses are among the best known and most feared viruses. The Poxviridae family is currently divided in two subfamilies, named Entomopoxvirinae (insect-infecting viruses) and Chordopoxvirinae (vertebrate-infecting viruses), wherein the first is composed of three genera, and the latter contains. Known poxvirus host range genes are currently grouped into 12 distinct classes, some of which have only one gene (e.g., K3L, E3L, K1L, others), and others exhibiting many members (e.g., serpins, C7L family, TNFRII family, others), which likely result from lineage duplication events [20] Some of these factors were functionally characterized using in vitro models and gene knockout analysis, which is associated mostly with the manipulation of diverse cellular targets, including cellular kinases and phosphatases, apoptosis, and many antiviral pathways [19,21]. Defined up-to-date of known species, and gathers reflects the diversity of theWe circulating hosts as those organisms in which consistent evidence was available related to viral detection in a viruses in nature. View, we seek to associate hosts at the lowest possible taxonomical level
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