title: A Y527A mutation in the fusion protein of Newcastle disease virus strain LaSota leads to a hyperfusogenic virus with increased replication and immunogenicity.
abstract: Newcastle disease is a highly contagious and economically important disease of poultry. Low-virulence Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains such as B1 and LaSota have been used as live vaccines, with a proven track record of safety and efficacy. However, these vaccines do not completely prevent infection or virus shedding. Therefore, there is a need to enhance the immunogenicity of these vaccine strains. In this study, the effect of mutations in the conserved tyrosine residues of the F protein of vaccine strain LaSota was investigated. Our results showed that substitution of tyrosine at position 527 by alanine resulted in a hyperfusogenic virus with increased replication and immunogenicity. Challenge study with highly virulent NDV strain Texas GB showed that immunization of chickens with Y527A mutant virus provided 100% protection and no shedding of the challenge virus. This study suggests that the strain LaSota harbouring the Y527A mutation may represent a more efficacious vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Vinoth K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Manoharan
authors.affiliation: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sunil K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Khattar
authors.affiliation: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Anandan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paldurai
authors.affiliation: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Shin-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Siba K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Samal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009521:Newcastle Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013781:Texas; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053586:Virus Internalization; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines