title: Role of Substitutions in the Hemagglutinin in the Emergence of the 1968 Pandemic Influenza Virus.
abstract: Hemagglutinin (HA) of H3N2/1968 pandemic influenza viruses differs from the putative avian precursor by seven amino acid substitutions. Substitutions Q226L and G228S are known to be essential for adaptation of avian HA to mammals. We found that introduction of avian-virus-like amino acids at five other HA positions (positions 62, 81, 92, 144, and 193) of A/Hong Kong/1/1968 virus decreased viral replication in human cells and transmission in pigs. Thus, substitutions at some of these positions facilitated emergence of the pandemic virus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sjouke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Poucke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doedt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matrosovich
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Dieter
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium vanreeth@ugent.be M.Matrosovich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Reeth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany vanreeth@ugent.be M.Matrosovich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matrosovich
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019295:Computational Biology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D058873:Pandemics / Q000266:history*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus