Back to Search Start Over

The Intrapopulation Genetic Diversity of RNA Virus May Influence the Sensitivity of Chlorine Disinfection

Authors :
Syun-suke Kadoya
Syun-ichi Urayama
Takuro Nunoura
Miho Hirai
Yoshihiro Takaki
Masaaki Kitajima
Toyoko Nakagomi
Osamu Nakagomi
Satoshi Okabe
Osamu Nishimura
Daisuke Sano
Source :
Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 13 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2022.

Abstract

RNA virus populations are not clonal; rather, they comprise a mutant swarm in which sequences are slightly different from the master sequence. Genetic diversity within a population (intrapopulation genetic diversity) is critical for RNA viruses to survive under environmental stresses. Disinfection has become an important practice in the control of pathogenic viruses; however, the impact of intrapopulation genetic diversity on the sensitivity of disinfection, defined as –log10 (postdisinfected infectious titer/predisinfected titer), has not been elucidated. In this study, we serially passaged populations of rhesus rotavirus. We demonstrated that populations with reduced chlorine sensitivity emerged at random and independently of chlorine exposure. Sequencing analysis revealed that compared with sensitive populations, less-sensitive ones had higher non-synonymous genetic diversity of the outer capsid protein gene, suggesting that changes in the amino acid sequences of the outer capsid protein were the main factors influencing chlorine sensitivity. No common mutations were found among less-sensitive populations, indicating that rather than specific mutations, the diversity of the outer capsid protein itself was associated with the disinfection sensitivity and that the disinfection sensitivity changed stochastically. Simulation results suggest that the disinfection sensitivity of a genetically diverse population is destabilized if cooperative viral clusters including multiple sequences are formed. These results advocate that any prevention measures leading to low intrapopulation genetic diversity are important to prevent the spread and evolution of pathogenic RNA viruses in society.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1664302X
Volume :
13
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Microbiology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.f0ca0505e7a4980befbaa37411fe835
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.839513