Characterisation of influenza A viruses with mutations in segment 5 packaging signals.
Influenza A virus vRNA segments contain specific packaging signals at their termini that overlap the coding regions. To further characterise segment 5 packaging signals, we introduced synonymous mutations into the terminal coding regions of the vRNA and characterised the replicative fitness of the resulting viruses. Most mutations tested were well-tolerated, but a virus with alterations to NP codons 464-466, near the 5'-end of the vRNA, produced small plaques and replicated to around one-tenth of the level of wild type virus. The mutant virus supported normal levels of NP and segment 5 vRNA synthesis but packaged reduced levels of both segment 5 and segment 3 into virus particles. This suggests an interaction between segments 3 and 5 during influenza A virus assembly.
Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom.
Edward C
EC
Hutchinson
Helen M
HM
Wise
Katerine
K
Kudryavtseva
Martin D
MD
Curran
Paul
P
Digard
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003062:Codon; D004285:Dogs; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
D003062:Codon; C048842:NP protein, Influenza A virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins