Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: Journal of Virology, full page: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]
Identification of amino acid changes that may have been critical for the genesis of A(H7N9) influenza viruses
Gabriele Neumann 1, Catherine A. Macken 2 and Yoshihiro Kawaoka 1,3,4,5,6#
Author Affiliations: <SUP>1</SUP>Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 575 Science Drive, Madison, WI, USA <SUP>2</SUP>Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA <SUP>3</SUP>Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan <SUP>4</SUP>ERATO Infection-Induced Host Responses Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan <SUP>5</SUP>Department of Special Pathogens, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan <SUP>6</SUP>Laboratory of Bioresponses Regulation, Department of Biological Responses, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Published ahead of print 12 February 2014, doi: 10.1128/JVI.00107-14 <CITE>JVI.00107-14 </CITE>
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<CITE></CITE>
<CITE></CITE>ABSTRACT
Novel influenza A viruses of the H7N9 subtype [A(H7N9)] emerged in the spring of 2013 in China and have infected 163 people as of January 10, 2014; fifty of them died of the severe respiratory infection caused by these viruses. Phylogenetic studies have indicated that the novel A(H7N9) viruses emerged from reassortment of H7, N9 and H9N2 viruses. Inspections of protein sequences from A(H7N9) virusesand their immediate predecessorsrevealed several amino acid changes in A(H7N9) viruses that may have facilitated transmission and replication in the novel host.Since mutations that occurred more ancestrally may also have contributed to the genesis of A(H7N9) viruses,weinferred historical evolutionary events leading to the novel viruses. We identified a number ofamino acid changes on the evolutionary path to A(H7N9) viruses, including substitutions that may be associated with host range, replicative ability, and/or host responses to infection. The biological significance of these amino acid changes can be tested in future studies.
IMPORTANCE
The novel influenza A viruses of the H7N9 subtype [A(H7N9)], which first emerged in the spring of 2013, cause severe respiratory infections in humans. Here, we performed a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the progenitors of A(H7N9) viruses to identify amino acid changes thatmay have been critical for the emergence of A(H7N9) viruses and their ability to infect humans. We provide a list of potentially important amino acid changes which can be tested for their significance in influenza virus host range, replicative ability, and/or host responses to infection.
FOOTNOTES
#Corresponding author. E-mail: kawaokay@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
Copyright ? 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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Identification of amino acid changes that may have been critical for the genesis of A(H7N9) influenza viruses
Gabriele Neumann 1, Catherine A. Macken 2 and Yoshihiro Kawaoka 1,3,4,5,6#
Author Affiliations: <SUP>1</SUP>Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 575 Science Drive, Madison, WI, USA <SUP>2</SUP>Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA <SUP>3</SUP>Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan <SUP>4</SUP>ERATO Infection-Induced Host Responses Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan <SUP>5</SUP>Department of Special Pathogens, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan <SUP>6</SUP>Laboratory of Bioresponses Regulation, Department of Biological Responses, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Published ahead of print 12 February 2014, doi: 10.1128/JVI.00107-14 <CITE>JVI.00107-14 </CITE>
<CITE></CITE>
<CITE></CITE>
<CITE></CITE>ABSTRACT
Novel influenza A viruses of the H7N9 subtype [A(H7N9)] emerged in the spring of 2013 in China and have infected 163 people as of January 10, 2014; fifty of them died of the severe respiratory infection caused by these viruses. Phylogenetic studies have indicated that the novel A(H7N9) viruses emerged from reassortment of H7, N9 and H9N2 viruses. Inspections of protein sequences from A(H7N9) virusesand their immediate predecessorsrevealed several amino acid changes in A(H7N9) viruses that may have facilitated transmission and replication in the novel host.Since mutations that occurred more ancestrally may also have contributed to the genesis of A(H7N9) viruses,weinferred historical evolutionary events leading to the novel viruses. We identified a number ofamino acid changes on the evolutionary path to A(H7N9) viruses, including substitutions that may be associated with host range, replicative ability, and/or host responses to infection. The biological significance of these amino acid changes can be tested in future studies.
IMPORTANCE
The novel influenza A viruses of the H7N9 subtype [A(H7N9)], which first emerged in the spring of 2013, cause severe respiratory infections in humans. Here, we performed a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the progenitors of A(H7N9) viruses to identify amino acid changes thatmay have been critical for the emergence of A(H7N9) viruses and their ability to infect humans. We provide a list of potentially important amino acid changes which can be tested for their significance in influenza virus host range, replicative ability, and/or host responses to infection.
FOOTNOTES
#Corresponding author. E-mail: kawaokay@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
Copyright ? 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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