Host-Virus Arms Races Drive Elevated Adaptive Evolution in Viral Receptors
Wenqiang Wang, Huayao Zhao, Guan‐Zhu Han
Abstract
Viruses hijack cellular proteins, termed viral receptors, to assist their entry into host cells. While viral receptors experience negative selection to maintain their normal functions, they also undergo positive selection due to an everlasting evolutionary arms race between viruses and hosts. A complete picture on how viral receptors evolve under two conflicting forces is still lacking. In this study, we systematically analyzed the evolution of 96 viral receptors in primates and human populations. We found around half of viral receptors underwent adaptive evolution and exhibit significantly elevated rates of adaptation compared to control genes in primates. We also found signals of past natural selection for 58 viral receptors in human populations. Interestingly, 49 viral receptors experienced different selection pressures in different human populations, indicating that viruses represent an important driver of local adaptation in humans. Our results suggest that host-virus arms races drive accelerated adaptive evolution in viral receptors.