A Novel Type of Influenza A Virus-Derived Defective Interfering Particle with Nucleotide Substitutions in Its Genome.

ABSTRACT: Defective interfering particles (DIPs) replicate at the expense of coinfecting, fully infectious homologous virus. Typically, they contain a highly deleted form of the viral genome. Utilizing single-cell analysis, here we report the discovery of a yet-unknown DIP type, derived from influenza A viruses (IAVs), termed OP7 virus. Instead of deletions, the genomic viral RNA (vRNA) of segment 7 (S7) carried 37 point mutations compared to the reference sequence, affecting promoter regions, encoded proteins, and genome packaging signals. Coinfection experiments demonstrated strong interference of OP7 virus with IAV replication, manifested by a dramatic decrease in the infectivity of released virions. Moreover, an overproportional quantity of S7 in relation to other genome segments was observed, b

SUBMITTER: Kupke SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6364022 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature