Substantial Attenuation of Virulence of Tembusu Virus Strain PS Is Determined by an Arginine at Residue 304 of the Envelope Protein.

ABSTRACT: The Tembusu virus (TMUV) PS strain, derived by several passages and plaque purifications in BHK-21 cells, displays markedly lower virulence in Pekin ducklings relative to a natural isolate of TMUV, but the potential virulence determinants and the in vivo mechanisms for substantial virulence attenuation of the passage variant remain unknown. Here, we constructed a series of chimeric and mutant viruses and assessed their virulence using a 2-day-old Pekin duckling model. We showed that residue 304 in the envelope (E) protein is the molecular determinant of TMUV virulence. Further investigations with mutant and parental viruses demonstrated that acquisition of positive charges at E protein residue 304 plays a critical role in substantial attenuation of neurovirulence and neuroinvasiveness, whi

SUBMITTER: Yang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8094961 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature