ABSTRACT
The Δ30 deletion mutation, which was originally created in dengue virus type 4 (DEN4) by the removal of nucleotides 172 to 143 from the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR), was introduced into a homologous region of wild-type (wt) dengue virus type 1 (DEN1). The resulting virus, rDEN1Δ30, was attenuated in rhesus monkeys to a level similar to that of the rDEN4Δ30 vaccine candidate. rDEN1Δ30 was more attenuated in rhesus monkeys than the previously described vaccine candidate, rDEN1mutF, which also contains mutations in the 3′ UTR, and both vaccines were highly protective against challenge with wt DEN1. Both rDEN1Δ30 and rDEN1mutF were also attenuated in HuH-7-SCID mice. However, neither rDEN1Δ30 nor rDEN1mutF showed restricted replication following intrathoracic inoculation in the mosquito Toxorhynchites splendens. The ability of the Δ30 mutation to attenuate both DEN1 and DEN4 viruses suggests that a tetravalent DEN vaccine could be generated by introduction of the Δ30 mutation into wt DEN viruses belonging to each of the four serotypes.
Dengue virus strain 2 capsid protein switches the annealing pathway and reduces intrinsic dynamics of the conserved 5’ untranslated region