RNA recombination in Hepatitis delta virus: Identification of a novel naturally occurring recombinant

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only animal RNA virus that has an unbranched rod-like genome with ribozyme activity. It replicates in the nucleus by host RNA polymerase via a rolling circle mechanism. Similar to many RNA viruses encoding their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, homologous recombination of HDV occurs in mixed-genotype infections and in cultured cells cotransfected with two HDV sequences, as demonstrated by molecular analyses. Methods: Among 237 published complete genomic sequences, 34 sequences were reported from the small and isolated Miyako Island, Japan, and belonged to the Asia-specific genotypes, HDV-2 and HDV-4 (the majority of them belonged to the known Miyako Island-specific subgroup, HDV-4M). We investigated the presence of naturally occurring HDV recombinant in Miyako Island using phylogenetic and recombination analyses. Results: We identified a two-switch HDV-4/4M intersubtype recombinant with an unbranched rod-like RNA genome. Conclusion: Our data suggest that RNA recombination plays an important role in the rapid evolution of HDV, allowing the production of new HDV strains with correct genomic structures. Keywords: hepatitis delta virus, RNA recombination