PB2 and hemagglutinin mutations are major determinants of host range and virulence in mouse-adapted influenza A virus.
Serial mouse lung passage of a human influenza A virus, A/Hong Kong/1/68 (H3N2) (HK-wt), produced a mouse-adapted variant, MA, with nine mutations that was >10(3.8)-fold more virulent. In this study, we demonstrate that MA mutations of the PB2 (D701N) and hemagglutinin (HA) (G218W in HA1 and T156N in HA2) genes were the most adaptive genetic determinants for increased growth and virulence in the mouse model. Recombinant viruses expressing each of the mutated MA genome segments on the HK-wt backbone showed significantly increased disease severity, whereas only the mouse-adapted PB2 gene increased virulence, as determined by the 50% lethal dose ([LD(50)] >10(1.4)-fold). The converse comparisons of recombinant MA viruses expressing each of the HK-wt genome segments showed the greatest decrease in virulence due to the HA gene (10(2)-fold), with lesser decreases due to the M1, NS1, NA, and PB1 genes (10(0.3)- to 10(0.8)-fold), and undetectable effects on the LD(50) for the PB2 and NP genes. The HK PB2 gene did, however, attenuate MA infection, as measured by weight loss and time to death. Replication of adaptive mutations in vivo and in vitro showed both viral gene backbone and host range effects. Minigenome transcription assays showed that PB1 and PB2 mutations increased polymerase activity and that the PB2 D701N mutation was comparable in effect to the mammalian adaptive PB2 E627K mutation. Our results demonstrate that host range and virulence are controlled by multiple genes, with major roles for mutations in PB2 and HA.
Ping
Jihui
J
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5.
Dankar
Samar K
SK
Forbes
Nicole E
NE
Keleta
Liya
L
Zhou
Yan
Y
Tyler
Shaun
S
Brown
Earl G
EG
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; C057027:PB2 protein, Influenzavirus A; D014764:Viral Proteins; C483468:hemagglutinin, human influenza A virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase