Insertion of a multibasic cleavage motif into the hemagglutinin of a low-pathogenic avian influenza H6N1 virus induces a highly pathogenic phenotype.

ABSTRACT: The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus phenotype is restricted to influenza A viruses of the H5 and H7 hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes. To obtain more information on the apparent subtype-specific nature of the HPAI virus phenotype, a low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H6N1 virus was generated, containing an HPAI H5 RRRKKR [downward arrow] G multibasic cleavage site (MBCS) motif in HA (the downward arrow indicates the site of cleavage). This insertion converted the LPAI virus phenotype into an HPAI virus phenotype in vitro and in vivo. The H6N1 virus with an MBCS displayed in vitro characteristics similar to those of HPAI H5 viruses, such as cleavage of HA(0) (the HA protein of influenza A virus initially synthesized as a single polypeptide precursor) and virus replication in the

SUBMITTER: Munster VJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2916526 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature