title: Evolutionary characteristics of morbilliviruses during serial passages in vitro: Gradual attenuation of virus virulence.
abstract: The genus Morbillivirus is classified into the family Paramyxoviridae, and is composed of 6 members, namely measles virus (MV), rinderpest virus (RPV), peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV), canine distemper virus (CDV), phocine distemper virus (PDV) and cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV). The MV, RPV, PPRV and CDV have been successfully attenuated through their serial passages in vitro for the production of live vaccines. It has been demonstrated that the morbilliviral virulence in animals was progressively attenuated with their consecutive passages in vitro. However, only a few reports were involved in explanation of an attenuation-related mechanism on them until many years after the establishment of a quasispecies theory. RNA virus quasispecies arise from rapid evolution of viruses with high mutation rate during genomic replication, and play an important role in gradual loss of viral virulence by serial passages. Here, we overviewed the development of live-attenuated vaccine strains against morbilliviruses by consecutive passages in vitro, and further discussed a related mechanism concerning the relationship between virulence attenuation and viral evolution.
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China.
authors.forename: Fuxiao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: OIE Reference Laboratory for Peste des Petits Ruminants, National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, No. 369 Nanjing Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266032, China. Electronic address: wangzhiliang@cahec.cn.
authors.forename: Zhiliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D016679:Genome, Viral; D018103:Morbillivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D012692:Serial Passage; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000235:genetics; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines
keywords: Fitness; Morbilliviruses; Mutation; Quasispecies; Serial passages; Virulence attenuation