Analysis of the codon usage of the ORF2 gene of feline calicivirus

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 54; pp. 54 - 59
• Main Authors: Zang, Minghui, He, Wanting, Du, Fanshu, Wu, Gongjian, Wu, Bohao, Zhou, Zhenlei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Caliciviridae Infections - veterinary; Caliciviridae Infections - virology; Calicivirus, Feline - genetics; Cat Diseases - virology; Cats; Codon - genetics; Codon usage; Feline calicivirus; Genes, Viral - genetics; Mutation pressure; Natural selection; Neutrality analysis; Open reading frame 2 (ORF2); Open reading frame 2 (ORF2); Mutation pressure; Feline calicivirus; Codon usage; Natural selection; Neutrality analysis
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.06.013

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a highly prevalent pathogen of the domestic cat that causes acute infections of the oral and upper respiratory tract. The E region of the ORF2 protein is responsible for the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies, thus it is important to understand the codon usage of this gene. Here, analysed 90 coding sequences of ORF2 and show that it undergoes a low codon usage bias. In addition, although mutational bias is one of the factors shaping the codon usage bias of this gene, natural selection plays a more significant role. Our results reveal part of the mechanisms driving FCV evolution, which will lay foundation for the further research of FCV. •The codon usage of the ORF2 gene of FCV was first analysed in this study.•The ORF2 gene of FCV shows a low codon usage bias.