Phylogeography of the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) provides a predictive framework for research on hantaviruses

1 Department of Biology, Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA 2 Department of Biological Sciences, Oswego State University, Oswego, NY 13126, USA 3 School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA 4 Laboratorio de Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay Correspondence Jerry W. Dragoo jdragoo{at}unm.edu Phylogeographical partitioning of Sin Nombre and Monongahela viruses (hantaviruses) may reflect that of their primary rodent host, the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus ). Lack of a comprehensive assessment of phylogeographical variation of the host has precluded the possibility of predicting spatial limits of existing strains of these viruses or geographical regions where novel viral strains might emerge. The complete cytochrome b gene was sequenced for 206 deer mice collected from sites throughout North America to provide a foundation for future studies of spatial structure and evolution of this ubiquitous host. Bayesian analyses of these sequences partitioned deer mice into six largely allopatric lineages, some of which may represent unrecognized species. The geographical distributions of these lineages were probably shaped by Quaternary climatic events. Populations of mice were apparently restricted to refugia during glacial advances, where they experienced genetic divergence. Expansion of these populations, following climatic amelioration, brought genetically distinctive forms into contact. Occurrence of parallel changes in virus strains can now be explored in appropriate regions. In New Mexico, for example, near the location where Sin Nombre virus was first discovered, there are three genetically distinctive lineages of deer mice whose geographical ranges need to be delineated precisely. The phylogeography of P. maniculatus provides a framework for interpreting geographical variability, not only in hosts, but also in associated viral variants and disease transmission, and an opportunity to predict the potential geographical distribution of newly emerging viral strains. The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession numbers for the sequences reported in this paper are DQ385624–DQ385827. A table showing specimens of Peromyscus examined and the Nexus file used to generate Fig. 1 are available as supplementary material in JGV Online.