Evolutionary time-scale of primate bocaviruses

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is associated with acute gastroenteritis in humans, occurring mostly in young children and elderly people. Four bocavirus genotypes (HBoV1-HBoV4) have been found so far. Since there were no data on the contribution of HBoV to gastroenteritis in Russia, 1781 fecal samples collected from infants hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Novosibirsk, Russia during one year were tested for the presence of nucleic acids from HBoV and three major gastrointestinal viruses (rotavirus A, norovirus II, and astrovirus). HBoV was detected only in 1.9% of the samples: HBoV1 was detected in 0.6% and HBoV2, in 1.3%. Complete genome sequencing of three Novosibirsk isolates was performed. An evolutionary analysis of these sequences and the available sequences of human and great apes bocaviruses demonstrated that the current HBoV genotypes diverged comparatively recently, about 60-300 years ago. The independent evolution of bocaviruses from chimpanzees and gorillas commenced at the same time period. This suggests that these isolates of great apes bocaviruses belong to separate genotypes within the species of human bocavirus, which is actually the primate bocavirus. The rate of mutation accumulation in the genome of primate bocaviruses has been estimated as approximately 9 × 10-4 substitutions/site/year. It has been demonstrated that HBoV1 diverged from the ancestor common with chimpanzee bocavirus approximately 60-80 years ago, while HBoV4 separated from great apes bocaviruses about 200-300 years ago. The hypothesis postulating independent evolution of HBoV1 and HBoV4 genotypes from primate bocaviruses has been proposed.

- HBoV was found only in 1.9% of infants with acute gastroenteritis in Novosibirsk.
- Complete genomes of three HBoV strains from Novosibirsk were sequenced.
- The rate of primate bocaviruses evolution was estimated as 9 × 10-4 subst/site/year.
- Current HBoV genotypes diverged comparatively recently about 60-300 years ago.
- Independent evolution of HBoV and primates bocaviruses started at the same time.