Adaptive selection of quasispecies during <i>in vivo</i> passaging in chickens, mice, and ferrets results in host-specific strains for the H9N2 avian influenza virus.

ABSTRACT: Sporadic human infections of avian influenza virus (AIV) raise significant public health concerns. A critical factor limiting the transmission of AIVs is the shift in receptor-binding preference from Siaα2,3 to Siaα2,6. To reveal the adaptive selection dynamics during the host adaptation process of AIVs, this study generated a viral library with random mutations in the HA gene of the H9N2 strain. Upon passaging the viral library in chickens and mice, the predominantly selected variants exhibited a preference for Siaα2,3 receptors. Notably, the wild-type strain remained dominant in both inoculated and direct-contact chickens, while variants with the ΔL226/R229I substitutions were preferentially selected in mice. Ferrets have a predominance of Siaα2,6 in their respiratory tract. As expected,

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12172485 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature