title: The M segment of the 2009 new pandemic H1N1 influenza virus is critical for its high transmission efficiency in the guinea pig model.
abstract: A remarkable feature of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus is its efficient transmissibility in humans compared to that of precursor strains from the triple-reassortant swine influenza virus lineage, which cause only sporadic infections in humans. The viral components essential for this phenotype have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to determine the viral factors critical for aerosol transmission of the 2009 pandemic virus. Single or multiple segment reassortments were made between the pandemic A/California/04/09 (H1N1) (Cal/09) virus and another H1N1 strain, A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) (PR8). These viruses were then tested in the guinea pig model to understand which segment of Cal/09 virus conferred transmissibility to the poorly transmissible PR8 virus. We confirmed our findings by generating recombinant A/swine/Texas/1998 (H3N2) (sw/Tx/98) virus, a representative triple-reassortant swine virus, containing segments of the Cal/09 virus. The data showed that the M segment of the Cal/09 virus promoted aerosol transmissibility to recombinant viruses with PR8 and sw/Tx/98 virus backgrounds, suggesting that the M segment is a critical factor supporting the transmission of the 2009 pandemic virus.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors: Yi-ying
authors: YY
authors: Chou
authors: Randy A
authors: RA
authors: Albrecht
authors: Natalie
authors: N
authors: Pica
authors: Anice C
authors: AC
authors: Lowen
authors: Jürgen A
authors: JA
authors: Richt
authors: Adolfo
authors: A
authors: García-Sastre
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Palese
authors: Rong
authors: R
authors: Hai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C031540:M-protein, influenza virus; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors