title: Genetic analysis and antigenic characterization of human respiratory syncytial virus group A viruses isolated in Germany 1996-2008.
abstract: The genetic and antigenic variability of 18 human respiratory syncytial virus group A viruses isolated in Germany from 1996 to 2008 was evaluated by nucleotide sequencing of the complete G and F genes and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis with anti-G and anti-F monoclonal antibodies. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the G-proteins clustered into the two genotypes GA2 and GA5. The antigenic analysis of G-gene was carried out with a panel of anti-G and anti-F monoclonal antibodies that recognized strain-specific or variable epitopes which were originally derived against long strain (subtype GA1) and MON-3-88 strain (GA2). An amino acid substitution was found in a potential O-glycosylation site leading to a loss of reactivity with a strain-specific MAb. A score was calculated for quantifying the overall reactivity of the antibodies. If reactivity of all MAbs was totalized, a net sum loss of reactivity was seen over the time suggesting that antigenic drift due to immune selection may be occurring.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Geb. 22.21, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany, ortwin.adams@uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Ortwin
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Werzmirzowsky
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hengel
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C526850:F protein, human respiratory syncytial virus; C502275:G glycoprotein, Respiratory syncytial virus; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins