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Discovery of a novel hepatovirus (Phopivirus of seals) related to human hepatitis A virus

Anthony. S.J.·J.A St. Leger·E. Liang·A.L. Hicks·M.D Sanchez-Leon·S. Ip·K. Jain·J. H. Lefkowitch·I. Navarrete-Macias·N. Knowles·T. Goldstein·K. Pugliares·T. Rowles·W.I. Lipkin
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Abstract

Describing the viral diversity of wildlife can provide interesting and useful insights into the natural history of established human pathogens. In this study, we describe a previously unknown picornavirus in harbor seals (tentatively named phopivirus) that is related to human hepatitis A virus (HAV). We show that phopivirus shares several genetic and phenotypic characteristics with HAV, including phylogenetic relatedness across the genome, a specific and seemingly quiescent tropism for hepatocytes, structural conservation in a key functional region of the type III internal ribosomal entry site (IRES), and a codon usage bias consistent with that of HAV.

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Anthony. S.J., J.A St. Leger, E. Liang, A.L. Hicks, M.D Sanchez-Leon, S. Ip, K. Jain, J. H. Lefkowitch, I. Navarrete-Macias, N. Knowles, T. Goldstein, K. Pugliares, T. Rowles, W.I. Lipkin. 2015. Discovery of a novel hepatovirus (Phopivirus of seals) related to human hepatitis A virus. https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01180-15

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