2026-10-14T09:26:18Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34073156 2026-10-05T17:44:36Z category_13 category_21 category_24 category_272 category_39 category_734 category_132 portal_5 item_type_3 month_year_10_2026

<p>Abbreviations used in this study.</p> Yuhua Liao (426783) Jingqi Yang (1717588) Jingzhe Shang (5337092) Hangyu Zhou (1683853) Aiping Wu (224777) Genetics Biotechnology Evolutionary Biology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Infectious Diseases vector control prioritization selection pressure analyses divergent geographic dominance associated evolutionary patterns dominance across south div >< p complete chikv genomes asian genotype across aedes albopictus </ aedes aegypti </ three ecsa sub ecsa competitive advantage 2 convergently acquired lineages — ecsa albopictus </ aegypti </ south african southeast asia rapid displacement protein genes potential implications outbreak forecasting multiple regions molecular basis increasingly predominated important driver fel ), convergent substitutions chikungunya virus >, maintaining >, explaining 2 — 119 countries <div><p>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has emerged as a rapidly expanding global health threat and has been reported in 119 countries and territories, with recent outbreaks across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotype has increasingly predominated in multiple regions, yet the molecular basis of its competitive advantage remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that three ECSA sub-lineages—ECSA-IOL, ECSA-2.1, and ECSA-2.2—have independently evolved distinct vector-associated evolutionary patterns that underlie their divergent geographic dominance. Using comparative phylogenomic analyses of complete CHIKV genomes and selection pressure analyses (RELAX/BUSTED/Contrast-FEL), we found that ECSA-2.1 showed intensified selection on structural-protein genes and accumulated substitutions previously associated with <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, explaining its rapid displacement of the Asian genotype across the Americas. In contrast, ECSA-IOL underwent adaptation strategy switching from <i>Aedes albopictus</i> to <i>Ae. aegypti</i>, maintaining its dominance across South and Southeast Asia, while ECSA-2.2 convergently acquired <i>Ae. albopictus</i> adaptation with additional envelope protein mutations, suggesting enhanced adaptive potential. Genome-wide analysis revealed lineage-characteristic and convergent substitutions, providing molecular signatures associated with ECSA competitive advantage. These findings suggest vector niche partitioning as an important driver of CHIKV global expansion dynamics, with potential implications for outbreak forecasting, vector control prioritization, and the design of broadly protective vaccines.</p></div> 2026-10-05T17:55:24Z Dataset Dataset 10.1371/journal.ppat.1014677.s008 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/_p_Abbreviations_used_in_this_study_p_/34073156 CC BY 4.0