Extending the cytoplasmic tail of the influenza a virus M2 protein leads to reduced virus replication in vivo but not in vitro.
A carboxy-terminal epitope tag introduced into the coding region of the A/WSN/33 M2 protein resulted in a recombinant virus (rWSN M2myc) which replicated to titers similar to those of the parental virus (rWSN) in MDCK cells. The rWSN M2myc virus was attenuated in its ability to induce mortality and weight loss after the intranasal inoculation of BALB/c mice, indicating that the M2 cytoplasmic tail plays a role in virus virulence. Mice infected with rWSN M2myc were completely protected from subsequent challenge with rWSN, suggesting that epitope tagging of the M2 protein may be a useful way of attenuating influenza A virus strains.
Wu
Wai-Hong
WH
W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite E5132, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Pekosz
Andrew
A
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C488937:M2 protein, Influenza A virus; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins