Simultaneous H5N1 Acquisitions in Egypt Russia and Ghana
Recombinomics Commentary
May 9, 2007
US NAMRU-3 has generated HA and NA sequences from three Ghana isolates (A/chicken/Ghana/3158-NAMRU3/2007, A/chicken/Ghana/3159-NAMRU3/2007, A/chicken/Ghana/3160-NAMRU3/2007). All three had the consensus Clade 2.2 (Qinghai strain) HA cleavage site, GERRRKKR, and all three had the NA polymorphism G743A.
G743A had been of interest because of the concurrent acquisition in six Qinghai isolates from Egypt, as well as two isolates from Moscow (see NA phylogram). Like the earlier isolates, the Ghana sequences had regional markers, and phylogenetically most closely linked to the three recent isolates from the Ivory Coast. However, as was seen in Egypt and Russia, the regional sequences had an appended G743A on the NA sequence.
These types of changes are most easily explained by recombination and cast serious doubt on the influenza genetics dogma which cites “random mutation” / selection / adaptation to explain antigenic drift.
The acquisition of single nucleotide polymorphisms by recombination represents a paradigm shift that is strongly supported by concurrent acquisition of G743A in Egypt, Russia, and Ghana.
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