Genomic Mining, Evolution Analysis, and Structural Characterization of the Sepik Virus

Sepik virus, a pathogen transmitted by arthropods to humans is in the flavivirus family. For this reason, the genomic study of the Sepik virus is relevant in vector-borne diseases field. Genomic mining of the virus and comparison of its coding regions were done to identify sequences that represent greater and lesser conservation than other phylogenetically correlated viruses and to identify regions of greater selection pressure within its genome. The Sepik genome was mapped and analyzed by alignment processes. Selection pressure was estimated using the Pamilio-Banachi-Li method. The genome of the Sepik virus is a 17-motif polyprotein. Within these motifs, the codifying regions of greatest conservation were immunoglobulin-like domain III (82.77%) and the DEAD domain (68.42%), while some domains indicated selection pressure. The selection pressure predicted for certain domains suggested evolutionary pressure on the virus that represented medical impact on virulence and biological risk of the virus.