Excavating new facts from ancient Hepatitis B virus sequences.

Recently, two independent studies discovered 15 ancient Hepatitis B virus (aHBV) sequences, of which 7 dated back to the Neolithic age (NA) and the Bronze Age (BA). In the present research, all the available aHBV sequences were collectively re-analysed with reference to extant HBV diversity to understand the role of these aHBV genotypes in evolution of extant HBV genetic diversity. Several intergenotype recombination events were documented, which corroborated well with population admixture and ancient human migration. Present analyses suggested replacement of HBV genotype associated with early Neolithic European farming cultures by the migrating steppe people, during Bronze Age Steppe migration. Additionally, detailed analyses of recombinations revealed evolution of a number of extant genotypes and suggested their possible site of origin. Through this manuscript, novel and important findings of the analyses are communicated.