A Single Amino Acid Change in the Marburg Virus Matrix Protein VP40 Provides a Replicative Advantage in a Species-Specific Manner.

ABSTRACT:

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Marburg virus (MARV) induces severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates but only transient nonlethal disease in rodents. However, sequential passages of MARV in rodents boosts infection leading to lethal disease. Guinea pig-adapted MARV contains one mutation in the viral matrix protein VP40 at position 184 (VP40D184N). The contribution of the D184N mutation to the efficacy of replication in a new host is unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that recombinant MARV containing the D184N mutation in VP40 [rMARVVP40(D184N)] grew to higher titers than wild-type recombinant MARV (rMARVWT) in guinea pig cells. Moreover, rMARVVP40(D184N) displayed higher infectivity in guinea pig cells. Comparative analysis of VP40 functions indicated that neither the inter

SUBMITTER: Koehler A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4719610 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature