Influenza virus pathogenicity is determined by caspase cleavage motifs located in the viral proteins.

ABSTRACT: Almost all influenza virus proteins are found to contain caspase cleavage motifs. Two caspase cleavage consensus sequences, EXD downward arrowY and D/EXXD downward arrowY (caspase motifs) were identified in N- and C-terminal regions of influenza virus proteins nucleocapsid NP (positions D(16) and D(497)) and ionic channel M2 (positions D(23) and D(87)). Using reverse genetics with the highly-virulent avian influenza virus A/FPV/Rostock (H7N1), as a vector precursor, these NP and M2 caspase motifs were artificially altered by site-directed mutagenesis and pathogenicity of the generated caspase mutant viruses was tested in chickens. Three main groups of virus mutants were identified. The first group of mutants was characterized by high replication in cells and low virulence in chickens. Thes

SUBMITTER: Zhirnov OP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2702073 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature