Diverse variola virus (smallpox) strains were widespread in northern Europe in the Viking Age
Разнообразные штаммы вируса натуральной оспы были широко распространены в Северной Европе в эпоху викингов
2020-07-24
SCID: 54.1/dgjz98k4
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Viking Ageancient viral genomeshost adaptationvariola virusviral evolution
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Abstract (AI)
Smallpox, one of the most devastating human diseases, killed between 300 million and 500 million people in the 20th century alone. We recovered viral sequences from 13 northern European individuals, including 11 dated to ~600-1050 CE, overlapping the Viking Age, and reconstructed near-complete variola virus genomes for four of them. The samples predate the earliest confirmed smallpox cases by ~1000 years, and the sequences reveal a now-extinct sister clade of the modern variola viruses that were in circulation before the eradication of smallpox. We date the most recent common ancestor of variola virus to ~1700 years ago. Distinct patterns of gene inactivation in the four near-complete sequences show that different evolutionary paths of genotypic host adaptation resulted in variola viruses that circulated widely among humans.
Key Findings
1
Distinct gene-inactivation patterns indicate multiple evolutionary routes to human host adaptation, with diverse variola strains circulating widely in Viking-Age Europe.
2
Near-complete genomes from four individuals predate the earliest confirmed smallpox cases by approximately 1,000 years.
3
The ancient viruses form a now-extinct sister clade to modern variola viruses that circulated before smallpox eradication.
4
The most recent common ancestor of variola virus is estimated to have existed approximately 1,700 years ago.
5
Variola virus sequences were recovered from 13 northern European individuals, including 11 dating to approximately 600–1050 CE.
Research Object
Viking Age variola virus strains circulating among humans in northern Europe
Research Subject
Genetic diversity, evolutionary history, and patterns of host adaptation of variola viruses
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2020-07-24
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