title: Multiple amino acids in the glycoprotein of rabies virus are responsible for pathogenicity in adult mice.
abstract: We have reported that the region between amino acids 164 and 303 in the glycoprotein of rabies Nishigahara strain is important for lethality in adult mice. The region contains nine amino acid substitutions between the virulent Nishigahara and the avirulent RC-HL strains. In order to determine key residues for the pathogenicity, two chimeric strains and seven mutants were generated and examined for pathogenicities. The R(G 242/255/268) strain, in which amino acids at positions 242, 255, and 268 were replaced by those from the Nishigahara strain in the genomic backbone of the RC-HL strain, showed the same lethality as that of the Nishigahara strain in mice. Mutants in which one or two of these three amino acids were replaced by those from the Nishigahara strain did not revert to the lethality of the R(G 242/255/268) strain. These results demonstrate that at least these three amino acids are related to enhancement of pathogenicity. It is thought that multiple amino acids of the G protein are related to the pathogenicity of rabies viruses.
authors.affiliation: The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Japan.
authors.forename: Mutsuyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayama-Ito
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Minamoto
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D011818:Rabies / Q000821:virology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C064951:glycoprotein G, Rabies virus