Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis By Sampling Trees Research Articles

Deep Sequencing to Reveal Phylo-Geographic Relationships of Juquitiba Virus in Paraguay.

Several hantaviruses result in zoonotic infections of significant public health concern, causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Old and New World, respectively. Given a 35% case fatality rate, disease-causing New World hantaviruses require a greater understanding of their biology, genetic diversity, and geographical distribution. Juquitiba hantaviruses have been identified in Oligoryzomys nigripes in Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Brazil has reported the most HCPS cases associated with this virus. We used a multiplexed, amplicon-based PCR strategy to screen and deep-sequence the virus harbored within lung tissues collected from Oligoryzomys species during rodent field collections in southern (Itapúa) and western (Boquerón) Paraguay. No Juquitiba-like hantaviruses were identified in Boquerón. Herein, we report the full-length S and M segments of the Juquitiba hantaviruses identified in Paraguay from O. nigripes. We also report the phylogenetic relationships of the Juquitiba hantaviruses in rodents collected from Itapúa with those previously collected in Canindeyú. We showed, using the TN93 nucleotide substitution model, the coalescent (constant-size) population tree model, and Bayesian inference implemented in the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) framework, that the Juquitiba virus lineage in Itapúa is distinct from that in Canindeyú. Our spatiotemporal analysis showed significantly different time to the most recent ancestor (TMRA) estimates between the M and S segments, but a common geographic origin. Our estimates suggest the additional geographic diversity of the Juquitiba virus within the Interior Atlantic Forest and highlight the need for more extensive sampling across this biome.

Integrating animal movements with phylogeography to model the spread of PRRSV in the USA.

Viral sequence data coupled with phylodynamic models have become instrumental in investigating the outbreaks of human and animal diseases, and the incorporation of the hypothesized drivers of pathogen spread can enhance the interpretation from phylodynamic inference. Integrating animal movement data with phylodynamics allows us to quantify the extent to which the spatial diffusion of a pathogen is influenced by animal movements and contrast the relative importance of different types of movements in shaping pathogen distribution. We combine animal movement, spatial, and environmental data in a Bayesian phylodynamic framework to explain the spatial diffusion and evolutionary trends of a rapidly spreading sub-lineage (denoted L1A) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) Type 2 from 2014 to 2017. PRRSV is the most important endemic pathogen affecting pigs in the USA, and this particular virulent sub-lineage emerged in 2014 and continues to be the dominant lineage in the US swine industry to date. Data included 984 open reading frame 5 (ORF5) PRRSV L1A sequences obtained from two production systems in a swine-dense production region (∼85,000 mi2) in the USA between 2014 and 2017. The study area was divided into sectors for which model covariates were summarized, and animal movement data between each sector were summarized by age class (wean: 3–4 weeks; feeder: 8–25 weeks; breeding: ≥21 weeks). We implemented a discrete-space phylogeographic generalized linear model using Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) to infer factors associated with variability in between-sector diffusion rates of PRRSV L1A. We found that between-sector spread was enhanced by the movement of feeder pigs, spatial adjacency of sectors, and farm density in the destination sector. The PRRSV L1A strain was introduced in the study area in early 2013, and genetic diversity and effective population size peaked in 2015 before fluctuating seasonally (peaking during the summer months). Our study underscores the importance of animal movements and shows, for the first time, that the movement of feeder pigs (8–25 weeks old) shaped the spatial patterns of PRRSV spread much more strongly than the movements of other age classes of pigs. The inclusion of movement data into phylodynamic models as done in this analysis may enhance our ability to identify crucial pathways of disease spread that can be targeted to mitigate the spatial spread of infectious human and animal pathogens.

Biosystematic study of the genus Lallemantia (Lamiaceae): species delimitation and relationship

Lallemantia (Lamiaceae) is a small genus with 5 species. In general, little biosystematics and molecular study has been performed on the genus Lallemantia. Moreover, the studies used only some of the species; none of them has considered all 5 species as a whole in one specific approach. Therefore, the species inter-relationship or nexus in the genus is not thoroughly probed. The present study investigated the molecular phylogeny and species relationship of all five species in the genus Lallemantia, using ribosomal protein L16 and the multilocus ISSR markers. It also compared their morphometric, anatomical and seed results. The species were efficaciously delimited by the morphological, anatomical and seed characters, as well as by ISSR and cpDNA markers. The PCA (Principal components analysis) plot of the species based upon the morphological characters, the MDS (Multidimensional Scaling) plot of the species based on the nutlet and anatomical characters, the NJ (neighbor joining) tree plot of ISSR dataand the ML tree of cpDNA revealed closer affinity between L. iberica and L. canescens and L. peltata was placed at some distance from these species. The phylogenetic trees displayed monophyly of the genus Lallemantia. The Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) analysis unveiled that the studied Lallemantia species started to diverge about 25 million years ago.

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of Pulmonata (Mollusca: Gastropoda) on the basis of mitochondrial (16S, COI) and nuclear markers (18S, 28S): an overview

The phylogenetic relationships among the major groups of Pulmonata were studied by the information derived from a concatenated dataset consisting of mitochondrial (16S and COI) and nuclear (18S and 28S) markers. Heterobranchia are recovered as monophyletic. Euthyneura as paraphyletic due to the emergence of taxa from Opisthobranchia and lower Heterobranchia. The major groups of Pulmonata, namely Stylommatophora, Veronicellidae, Onchidiidae, Otinoidea, Siphonarioidea and Hygrophila are recovered as monophyletic. Monophyly of Basommatophora was not confirmed due to the variable position of Siphonarioidea and Amphiboloidea. Evolutionary divergence times for different taxa were also estimated using a relaxed molecular clock method in Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST). The common ancestor of Heterobranchia and Caenogastropoda was originated in the Silurian period and the common ancestors of Euthyneura and Pulmonata were originated in the Carboniferous and lower Triassic periods, respectively.

Maple phylogeny and biogeography inferred from phylogenomic data

AbstractAcer (the maple genus) is one of the diverse tree genera in the Northern Hemisphere with about 152 species, most of which are in eastern Asia. There are roughly a dozen species in Europe/western Asia and a dozen in North America. Several phylogenetic studies of Acer have been conducted since 1998, but none have provided a satisfactory resolution for basal relationships among sections of Acer. Here we report the first well‐resolved phylogeny of Acer based on DNA sequences of over 500 nuclear loci generated using the anchored hybrid enrichment method and explore the implications of the robust phylogeny for Acer systematics and biogeography. Our phylogenetic results support the most recent taxonomic treatment of Acer by de Jong with some modifications; section Pentaphylla may be expanded to include section Trifoliata, and A. yangbiense may be included in section Lithocarpa. Sections Spicata, Negundo, Arguta, and Palmata form a clade sister to the rest of the genus where sections Glabra and Parviflora comprise the first clade followed by section Macrantha, sections Ginnala, Lithocarpa, Indivisa, sections Platanoidea and Macrophylla, section Rubra, section Acer, and section Pentaphylla. Monotypic sections Glabra and Macrophylla in North America are sister to the Japanese section Parviflora and Eurasian section Platanoidea, respectively. Ancestral area inferences using statistical dispersal and vicariance analysis (S‐DIVA) and dispersal and extinction cladogenesis (DEC) methods suggest that Asia might be the most likely ancestral area of Acer as proposed by Wolfe and Tanai and molecular dating using Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) indicate that section diversifications of Acer might have completed largely in the late Eocene and the intercontinental disjunctions of Acer between eastern Asia and eastern North America formed mostly in the Miocene.

Origination and selection of ABCDE and AGL6 subfamily MADS-box genes in gymnosperms and angiosperms

BackgroundThe morphological diversity of flower organs is closely related to functional divergence within the MADS-box gene family. Bryophytes and seedless vascular plants have MADS-box genes but do not have ABCDE or AGAMOUS-LIKE6 (AGL6) genes. ABCDE and AGL6 genes belong to the subgroup of MADS-box genes. Previous works suggest that the B gene was the first ABCDE and AGL6 genes to emerge in plant but there are no mentions about the probable origin time of ACDE and AGL6 genes. Here, we collected ABCDE and AGL6 gene 381 protein sequences and 361 coding sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms and reconstructed a complete Bayesian phylogeny of these genes. In this study, we want to clarify the probable origin time of ABCDE and AGL6 genes is a great help for understanding the role of the formation of the flower, which can decipher the forming order of MADS-box genes in the future.ResultsThese genes appeared to have been under purifying selection and their evolutionary rates are not significantly different from each other. Using the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) tool, we estimated that: the mutation rate of the ABCDE and AGL6 genes was 2.617 × 10−3 substitutions/site/million years, and that B genes originated 339 million years ago (MYA), CD genes originated 322 MYA, and A genes shared the most recent common ancestor with E/AGL6 296 MYA, respectively.ConclusionsThe phylogeny of ABCDE and AGL6 genes subfamilies differed. The APETALA1 (AP1 or A gene) subfamily clustered into one group. The APETALA3/PISTILLATA (AP3/PI or B genes) subfamily clustered into two groups: the AP3 and PI clades. The AGAMOUS/SHATTERPROOF/SEEDSTICK (AG/SHP/STK or CD genes) subfamily clustered into a single group. The SEPALLATA (SEP or E gene) subfamily in angiosperms clustered into two groups: the SEP1/2/4 and SEP3 clades. The AGL6 subfamily clustered into a single group. Moreover, ABCDE and AGL6 genes appeared in the following order: AP3/PI → AG/SHP/STK → AGL6/SEP/AP1. In this study, we collected candidate sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms. This study highlights important events in the evolutionary history of the ABCDE and AGL6 gene families and clarifies their evolutionary path.

High-Performance Computing in Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylodynamics Using BEAGLE.

In this chapter, we focus on the computational challenges associated with statistical phylogenomics and how use of the broad-platform evolutionary analysis general likelihood evaluator (BEAGLE), a high-performance library for likelihood computation, can help to substantially reduce computation time in phylogenomic and phylodynamic analyses. We discuss computational improvements brought about by the BEAGLE library on a variety of state-of-the-art multicore hardware, and for a range of commonly used evolutionary models. For data sets of varying dimensions, we specifically focus on comparing performance in the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) software between multicore central processing units (CPUs) and a wide range of graphics processing cards (GPUs). We put special emphasis on computational benchmarks from the field of phylodynamics, which combines the challenges of phylogenomics with those of modelling trait data associated with the observed sequence data. In conclusion, we show that for increasingly large molecular sequence data sets, GPUs can offer tremendous computational advancements through the use of the BEAGLE library, which is available for software packages for both Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood frameworks.

Dating the Cryptococcus gattii Dispersal to the North American Pacific Northwest.

The emergence of Cryptococcus gattii, previously regarded as a predominantly tropical pathogen, in the temperate climate of the North American Pacific Northwest (PNW) in 1999 prompted several questions. The most prevalent among these was the timing of the introduction of this pathogen to this novel environment. Here, we infer tip-dated timing estimates for the three clonal C.gattii populations observed in the PNW, VGIIa, VGIIb, and VGIIc, based on whole-genome sequencing of 134 C.gattii isolates and using Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST). We estimated the nucleotide substitution rate for each lineage (1.59 × 10-8, 1.59 × 10-8, and 2.70 × 10-8, respectively) to be an order of magnitude higher than common neutral fungal mutation rates (2.0 × 10-9), indicating a microevolutionary rate (e.g., successive clonal generations in a laboratory) in comparison to a species' slower, macroevolutionary rate (e.g., when using fossil records). The clonal nature of the PNW C.gattii emergence over a narrow number of years would therefore possibly explain our higher mutation rates. Our results suggest that the mean time to most recent common ancestor for all three sublineages occurred within the last 60 to 100years. While the cause of C.gattii dispersal to the PNW is still unclear, our research estimates that the arrival is neither ancient nor very recent (i.e., <25 years ago), making a strong case for an anthropogenic introduction. IMPORTANCE The recent emergence of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus gattii in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) resulted in numerous investigations into the epidemiological and enzootic impacts, as well as multiple genomic explorations of the three primary molecular subtypes of the fungus that were discovered. These studies lead to the general conclusion that the subtypes identified likely emerged out of Brazil. Here, we conducted genomic dating analyses to determine the ages of the various lineages seen in the PNW and propose hypothetical causes for the dispersal events. Bayesian evolutionary analysis strongly suggests that these independent fungal populations in the PNW are all 60 to 100 years old, providing a timing that is subsequent to the opening of the Panama Canal, which allowed for more direct shipping between Brazil and the western North American coastline, a possible driving event for these fungal translocation events.

Bayesian phylogenetic and phylodynamic data integration using BEAST 1.10.

The Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) software package has become a primary tool for Bayesian phylogenetic and phylodynamic inference from genetic sequence data. BEAST unifies molecular phylogenetic reconstruction with complex discrete and continuous trait evolution, divergence-time dating, and coalescent demographic models in an efficient statistical inference engine using Markov chain Monte Carlo integration. A convenient, cross-platform, graphical user interface allows the flexible construction of complex evolutionary analyses.

Mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of the Labeobarbus intermedius complex (Pisces, Cyprinidae) from Ethiopia.

Mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of populations of the Labeobarbus intermedius complex (hexaploid barb) was investigated using 88 complete and 71 partial cytochrome b (cytb) sequences originating from 21 localities in five major drainages in Ethiopia and two localities in northern Kenya. The samples included 14 of the 15 Labeobarbus species described from Lake Tana. Discrete phylogeographic analyses of 159 cytb sequences employing Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations using Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) supported the monophyly of the L. intermedius complex, including the Lake Tana species. This analysis, in combination with statistical parsimony analysis, identified two mitochondrial DNA lineages within the complex. Divergence dating employing coalescent simulations suggested that the geographic split in the L. intermedius complex that led to the formation of these lineages occurred during the Pleistocene (c. 0.5 M b.p.), consistent with the timing of volcano-tectonic events postulated to have shaped the current landscape of East Africa.

Bayesian Inference of Infectious Disease Transmission from Whole-Genome Sequence Data

Genomics is increasingly being used to investigate disease outbreaks, but an important question remains unanswered—how well do genomic data capture known transmission events, particularly for pathogens with long carriage periods or large within-host population sizes? Here we present a novel Bayesian approach to reconstruct densely sampled outbreaks from genomic data while considering within-host diversity. We infer a time-labeled phylogeny using Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST), and then infer a transmission network via a Monte Carlo Markov chain. We find that under a realistic model of within-host evolution, reconstructions of simulated outbreaks contain substantial uncertainty even when genomic data reflect a high substitution rate. Reconstruction of a real-world tuberculosis outbreak displayed similar uncertainty, although the correct source case and several clusters of epidemiologically linked cases were identified. We conclude that genomics cannot wholly replace traditional epidemiology but that Bayesian reconstructions derived from sequence data may form a useful starting point for a genomic epidemiology investigation.

Molecular clocks ticking in the court room

Molecular clocks ticking in the court room

Phylogenetic analysis and victim contact tracing of rabies virus from humans and dogs in Bali, Indonesia

The emergence of human and animal rabies in Bali since November 2008 has attracted local, national and international interest. The potential origin and time of introduction of rabies virus to Bali is described. The nucleoprotein (N) gene of rabies virus from dog brain and human clinical specimens was sequenced using an automated DNA sequencer. Phylogenetic inference with Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis using the Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) v. 1.7.5 software confirmed that the outbreak of rabies in Bali was caused by an Indonesian lineage virus following a single introduction. The ancestor of Bali viruses was the descendant of a virus from Kalimantan. Contact tracing showed that the event most likely occurred in early 2008. The introduction of rabies into a large unvaccinated dog population in Bali clearly demonstrates the risk of disease transmission for government agencies and should lead to an increased preparedness and efforts for sustained risk reduction to prevent such events from occurring in future.

Origin and diversity of novel avian influenza A H7N9 viruses causing human infection: phylogenetic, structural, and coalescent analyses

On March 30, 2013, a novel avian influenza A H7N9 virus that infects human beings was identified. This virus had been detected in six provinces and municipal cities in China as of April 18, 2013. We correlated genomic sequences from avian influenza viruses with ecological information and did phylogenetic and coalescent analyses to extrapolate the potential origins of the virus and possible routes of reassortment events. We downloaded H7N9 virus genome sequences from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) database and public sequences used from the Influenza Virus Resource. We constructed phylogenetic trees and did 1000 bootstrap replicates for each tree. Two rounds of phylogenetic analyses were done. We used at least 100 closely related sequences for each gene to infer the overall topology, removed suspicious sequences from the trees, and focused on the closest clades to the novel H7N9 viruses. We compared our tree topologies with those from a bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) analysis. We used the bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method to jointly estimate phylogenies, divergence times, and other evolutionary parameters for all eight gene fragments. We used sequence alignment and homology-modelling methods to study specific mutations regarding phenotypes, specifically addressing the human receptor binding properties. The novel avian influenza A H7N9 virus originated from multiple reassortment events. The HA gene might have originated from avian influenza viruses of duck origin, and the NA gene might have transferred from migratory birds infected with avian influenza viruses along the east Asian flyway. The six internal genes of this virus probably originated from two different groups of H9N2 avian influenza viruses, which were isolated from chickens. Detailed analyses also showed that ducks and chickens probably acted as the intermediate hosts leading to the emergence of this virulent H7N9 virus. Genotypic and potential phenotypic differences imply that the isolates causing this outbreak form two separate subclades. The novel avian influenza A H7N9 virus might have evolved from at least four origins. Diversity among isolates implies that the H7N9 virus has evolved into at least two different lineages. Unknown intermediate hosts involved might be implicated, extensive global surveillance is needed, and domestic-poultry-to-person transmission should be closely watched in the future. China Ministry of Science and Technology Project 973, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Health and Family Planning Commission, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Population dynamics of HIV-2 in rural West Africa: comparison with HIV-1 and ongoing transmission at the heart of the epidemic.

To compare the population dynamics of HIV-2 and HIV-1, and to characterize ongoing HIV-2 transmission in rural Guinea-Bissau. Phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses using HIV-2 gag and env, and HIV-1 env sequences, combined with epidemiological data from a community cohort. Samples were obtained from surveys in 1989-1991, 1996-1997, 2003 and 2006-2007. Phylogenies were reconstructed using sequences from 103 HIV-2-infected and 56 HIV-1-infected patients using Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST), a relaxed molecular clock and a Bayesian skyline coalescent model. Bayesian skyline plots showed a strong increase in the 1990s of the HIV-1 effective population size (Ne) in the same period that the Ne of HIV-2 came into a plateau phase. The population dynamics of both viruses were remarkably similar following initial introduction. Incident infections were found more often in HIV-2 transmission clusters, with 55-58% of all individuals contributing to ongoing transmission. Some phylogenetically linked sexual partners had discordant viral loads (undetectable vs. detectable), suggesting host factors dictate the risk of disease progression in HIV-2. Multiple HIV-2 introductions into the cohort are evident, but ongoing transmission has occurred predominantly within the community. Comparison of HIV-1 and HIV-2 phylodynamics in the same community suggests both viruses followed similar growth patterns following introduction, and is consistent with the hypothesis that HIV-1 may have played a role in the decline of HIV-2 via competitive exclusion. The source of ongoing HIV-2 transmission in the cohort appears to be new HIV-2 cases, rather than the pool of older infections established during the early growth of HIV-2.

Molecular Epidemiology and Genetic History of Hepatitis C Virus Subtype 3a Infection in Thailand

Objective: Among all hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, subtype 3a is the most common genotype in Thailand. This study investigates the molecular epidemiology and epidemic history of HCV subtype 3a in Thailand. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-six serum samples were collected from HCV-infected Thai patients. The virus was isolated, after which the core and NS5B regions were sequenced. Subsequently, the HCV genotype was classified by phylogenetic analysis based on the core and NS5B regions. Molecular evolution analysis of HCV subtype 3a was estimated using BEAST (Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees) v.1.5.4. Results: Based on our phylogenetic analyses, subtype 3a (38.5%) was the most prevalent, followed by 1a (21%), 1b (13.8%), genotype 6 (19.9%) [comprised of subtypes 6e (0.3%), 6f (11%), 6i (1.9%), 6j (1.9%) and 6n (4.8%)] and 3b (5.6%). Our phylogenetic tree indicates the existence of a specific group of HCV subtype 3a strains in the Thai population. Molecular evolutionary analysis dated the most recent common ancestor of the Thai HCV subtype 3a strains as existing approximately 200 ago, and a Bayesian skyline plot showed that this particular strain spread to Thailand during the mid-1970s and early 1980s. This period overlaps with the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and the widespread use of injection stimulants introduced by the US Army during this time. Conclusion: The estimated history of HCV subtype 3a infection in Thailand may help to predict the future burden of HCV-related diseases and facilitate better public health control and surveillance.

Bayesian Phylogenetics with BEAUti and the BEAST 1.7

Computational evolutionary biology, statistical phylogenetics and coalescent-based population genetics are becoming increasingly central to the analysis and understanding of molecular sequence data. We present the Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) software package version 1.7, which implements a family of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms for Bayesian phylogenetic inference, divergence time dating, coalescent analysis, phylogeography and related molecular evolutionary analyses. This package includes an enhanced graphical user interface program called Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis Utility (BEAUti) that enables access to advanced models for molecular sequence and phenotypic trait evolution that were previously available to developers only. The package also provides new tools for visualizing and summarizing multispecies coalescent and phylogeographic analyses. BEAUti and BEAST 1.7 are open source under the GNU lesser general public license and available at http://beast-mcmc.googlecode.com and http://beast.bio.ed.ac.uk

Estimation of divergence times for major lineages of galliform birds: Evidence from complete mitochondrial genome sequences

Determining an absolute timescale for avian evolutionary history has been recently challenged by the relaxed molecular clock methods, that rates of molecular evolution can vary significantly among organisms. In this study, we used relaxed molecular clocks to date the divergence of major lineages of Galliformes based on complete mitochondrial genomes. A nucleotide dataset of 13 concatenated protein-coding genes from 22 species of Galliformes was used to investigate the evolutionary divergences within the group. Using Gallus bravardi, Schaubortyx and Gallinuloides fossils as calibration points, divergence times analyses were performed with four relaxed molecular clock methods as follows: (1) Bayesian method of Multidivtime; (2) Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis of the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST); (3) local rate minimum deformation method (LRMD) of TREEFINDER; and (4) nonparametric rate smoothing (NPRS) of TREEFINDER. The various relaxed clock methods all indicated that (1) Megapodiidae originated in the Late Cretaceous; (2) Numididae, Phasianidae, Arborophilinae and Coturnicinae originated in the Eocene of Palaeogene; (3) Pavoninae and Gallininae originated at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary; (4) Phasianinae and Meleagridinae originated in the Oligocene; (5) divergence times estimation among most genera of Phasianidae were much older than those of the previous studies. Our results might provide a more likely time scale for evolutionary history of the galliform birds.