TITLE:
Host markers and correlated mutations in the overlapping genes of influenza viruses: M1, M2; NS1, NS2; and PB1, PB1-F2
AUTHORS:
Wei Hu
KEYWORDS:
2009 H1N1; Co-Mutation; Correlation; Host Marker; Influenza; Information Entropy; Mutual Information; Mutation; Overlapping Genes; Random Forests
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.2 No.11,
November
30,
2010
ABSTRACT: The influenza A viruses have three gene segments, M, NS, and PB1, which code for more than one protein. The overlapping genes from the same segment entail their interdependence, which could be reflected in the evolutionary constraints, host distinction, and co-mutations of influenza. Most previous studies of overlapping genes focused on their unique evolutionary constraints, and very little was achieved to assess the potential impact of the overlap on other biological aspects of influenza. In this study, our aim was to explore the mutual dependence in host differentiation and co-mutations in M, NS, and PB1 of avian, human, 2009 H1N1, and swine viruses, with Random Forests, information entropy, and mutual information. The host markers and highly co-mutated individual sites and site pairs (P values