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Evolution of high pathogenicity of H5 avian influenza virus: haemagglutinin cleavage site selection of reverse-genetics mutants during passage in chickens
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posted on 2018-08-01, 00:00 authored by Jasmina M Luczo, Mary Tachedjian, Jennifer A Harper, Jean S Payne, Jeffrey M Butler, Sandra I Sapats, Suzanne L Lowther, Wojtek P Michalski, John StambasJohn Stambas, John BinghamLow pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) are generally asymptomatic in their natural avian hosts. LPAIVs can evolve into highly pathogenic forms, which can affect avian and human populations with devastating consequences. The switch to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) from LPAIV precursors requires the acquisition of multiple basic amino acids in the haemagglutinin cleavage site (HACS) motif. Through reverse genetics of an H5N1 HPAIV, and experimental infection of chickens, we determined that viruses containing five or more basic amino acids in the HACS motif were preferentially selected over those with three to four basic amino acids, leading to rapid replacement with virus types containing extended HACS motifs. Conversely, viruses harbouring low pathogenicity motifs containing two basic amino acids did not readily evolve to extended forms, suggesting that a single insertion of a basic amino acid into the cleavage site motif of low-pathogenic viruses may lead to escalating selection for extended motifs. Our results may explain why mid-length forms are rarely detected in nature. The stability of the short motif suggests that pathogenicity switching may require specific conditions of intense selection pressure (such as with high host density) to boost selection of the initial mid-length HACS forms.
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Journal
Scientific reportsVolume
8Issue
1Article number
11518Pagination
1 - 13Publisher
Nature Publishing GroupLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
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eISSN
2045-2322Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2018, The AuthorsUsage metrics
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