Recombination in the evolution of human bocavirus

•Complete genome of the HBoV strain from Novosibirsk was sequenced.•This strain emerged via recombination between the HBoV3 and HBoV4 genotypes.•The recombination site is located in the region with abnormal GC contents.•This location is a bocavirus recombination hotspot.•The role of recombination in HBoV evolution is discussed. Whole genome sequencing of Novosibirsk human bocavirus (HBoV) isolates has detected an isolate that emerged via recombination between HBoV3 and HBoV4 genotypes. The recombination site is located between regions with abnormally low and abnormally high GC contents in the genome. This site is a bocavirus recombination hotspot and coincides with one of two parvovirus recombination hotspots. The Novosibirsk recombinant isolate, which is similar to a previously studied isolate from Thailand, utilizes the strategy of borrowing ORF3, which encodes structural proteins, of a rare genotype HBoV4. The role of recombination in HBoV evolution is discussed.