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Document Type

Article

Richard Yanagihara, Retrovirology Research Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822.
Vivek R. Nerurkar, Retrovirology Research Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822.
Iris Scheirich, Retrovirology Research Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822.
Hansjürgent T. Agostini, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Charles S. Mgone, Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea.
Xiaohong Cui, Neurotoxicology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
David V. Jobes, Neurotoxicology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Christopher L. Cubitt, Neurotoxicology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Caroline F. Ryschkewitsch, Neurotoxicology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Daniel B. Hrdy, Division of Infectious and Immunologic Diseases, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817.
Jonathan S. Friedlaender, Department of Anthropology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Gerald L. Stoner, Neurotoxicology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.

Abstract

Distinct genotypes of human polyomavirus JC (JCV) have remained population associated possibly from the time of dispersal of modern humans from Africa. Seven major genotypes with additional subtypes serve as plausible markers for following early and more recent human migrations in all parts of the world. Phylogenetic trees of JCV sequences from the major continental population groups show a trifurcation at the base indicating early division into European, African, and Asian branches. Here, we have explored JCV relationships in the island populations of the western Pacific. Since these islands were settled from the Asian mainland and islands of Southeast Asia, we expected that their virus genotypes might show an Asian connection. We found that Type 2E (Austronesian) and Type 8 (non-Austronesian) are widely distributed in western Pacific populations. A few south China strains were found (Type 7A). Asubtype of Type 8, Type 8A, was confined to Papua New Guinea. In keeping with these assignments we find that phylogenetic analysis by neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony methods places Type 2E in a closer relationship to east Asian mainland strains such as Type 2A and Type 7. Our findings support the Asian origins of the western Pacific JCV strains, and suggest three broad movements: an ancient one characterized by Type 8A, and then Type 8B, followed much later by migrations carrying Type 2E, which may correlate with the arrival of Austronesian-language speakers, the bearers of the “Lapita” cultural complex (∼3,500 to 5,000 years ago), and relatively recent movements carrying largely Type 7A (south China) strains directly from the West.

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