scholarly journals Palmitoylation of the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Is Not Required for Virus Replication In Vitro but Contributes to Virus Virulence

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (17) ◽  
pp. 8655-8661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Grantham ◽  
Wai-Hong Wu ◽  
Erin N. Lalime ◽  
Maria E. Lorenzo ◽  
Sabra L. Klein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virus Replication ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mdck Cells ◽  
Cysteine Residue ◽  
M2 Protein ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
Virus Particles

ABSTRACT The influenza A virus M2 protein has important roles during virus entry and in the assembly of infectious virus particles. The cytoplasmic tail of the protein can be palmitoylated at a cysteine residue, but this residue is not conserved in a number of human influenza A virus isolates. Recombinant viruses encoding M2 proteins with a serine substituted for the cysteine at position 50 were generated in the A/WSN/33 (H1N1) and A/Udorn/72 (H3N2) genetic backgrounds. The recombinant viruses were not attenuated for replication in MDCK cells, Calu-3 cells, or in primary differentiated murine trachea epithelial cell cultures, indicating there was no significant contribution of M2 palmitoylation to virus replication in vitro. The A/WSN/33 M2C50S virus displayed a slightly reduced virulence after infection of mice, suggesting that there may be novel functions for M2 palmitoylation during in vivo infection.

scholarly journals Extending the Cytoplasmic Tail of the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Leads to Reduced Virus Replication In Vivo but Not In Vitro

2007 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 1059-1063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai-Hong Wu ◽  
Andrew Pekosz
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mdck Cells ◽  
Cytoplasmic Tail ◽  
M2 Protein ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Epitope Tag ◽  
Carboxy Terminal

ABSTRACT A carboxy-terminal epitope tag introduced into the coding region of the A/WSN/33 M2 protein resulted in a recombinant virus (rWSN M2myc) which replicated to titers similar to those of the parental virus (rWSN) in MDCK cells. The rWSN M2myc virus was attenuated in its ability to induce mortality and weight loss after the intranasal inoculation of BALB/c mice, indicating that the M2 cytoplasmic tail plays a role in virus virulence. Mice infected with rWSN M2myc were completely protected from subsequent challenge with rWSN, suggesting that epitope tagging of the M2 protein may be a useful way of attenuating influenza A virus strains.

scholarly journals In Vitro System for Modeling Influenza A Virus Resistance under Drug Pressure

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 3442-3450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley N. Brown ◽  
James J. McSharry ◽  
Qingmei Weng ◽  
Elizabeth M. Driebe ◽  
David M. Engelthaler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virus Replication ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mdck Cells ◽  
Influenza Virus Infection ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Drug Pressure

ABSTRACT One of the biggest challenges in the effort to treat and contain influenza A virus infections is the emergence of resistance during treatment. It is well documented that resistance to amantadine arises rapidly during the course of treatment due to mutations in the gene coding for the M2 protein. To address this problem, it is critical to develop experimental systems that can accurately model the selection of resistance under drug pressure as seen in humans. We used the hollow-fiber infection model (HFIM) system to examine the effect of amantadine on the replication of influenza virus, A/Albany/1/98 (H3N2), grown in MDCK cells. At 24 and 48 h postinfection, virus replication was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion. At 72 and 96 h postinfection, virus replication was no longer inhibited, suggesting the emergence of amantadine-resistant virus. Sequencing of the M2 gene revealed that mutations appeared at between 48 and 72 h of drug treatment and that the mutations were identical to those identified in the clinic for amantadine-resistant viruses (e.g., V27A, A30T, and S31N). Interestingly, we found that the type of mutation was strongly affected by the dose of the drug. The data suggest that the HFIM is a good model for influenza virus infection and resistance generation in humans. The HFIM has the advantage of being a highly controlled system where multiplicity parameters can be directly and accurately controlled and measured.

scholarly journals Engineered Small-Molecule Control of Influenza A Virus Replication

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Fay ◽  
Stephanie L. Aron ◽  
Ian A. Stone ◽  
Barbara M. Waring ◽  
Richard K. Plemper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virus Replication ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Highly Pathogenic ◽  
Significant Safety

ABSTRACT Influenza A virus (IAV) remains a global health concern despite the availability of a seasonal vaccine. It is difficult to predict which strains will circulate during influenza season, and therefore, it is extremely challenging to test novel vaccines in the human population. To overcome this obstacle, new vaccines must be tested in challenge studies. This approach poses significant safety problems, since current pharmacological interventions for IAV are poorly efficacious. New methods are needed to enhance the safety of these challenge studies. In this study, we have generated a virus expressing a small-molecule-assisted shutoff (SMASh) tag as a safety switch for IAV replication. The addition of the SMASh tag to an essential IAV protein allows for small-molecule-mediated inhibition of replication. Treatment with this drug controls the replication of a SMASh-tagged virus in vitro and in vivo. This model for restriction of viral replication has potential for broad applications in vaccine studies, virotherapy, and basic virus research. IMPORTANCE Influenza A virus (IAV) causes significant morbidity and mortality annually worldwide, despite the availability of new formulations of the vaccine each season. There is a critical need to develop more-efficacious vaccines. However, testing novel vaccines in the human population in controlled studies is difficult due to the limited availability and efficacy of intervention strategies should the vaccine fail. There are also significant safety concerns for work with highly pathogenic IAV strains in the laboratory. Therefore, novel strategies are needed to improve the safety of vaccine studies and of research on highly pathogenic IAV. In this study, we developed an IAV strain engineered to contain a small-molecule-mediated safety switch. This tag, when attached to an essential viral protein, allows for the regulation of IAV replication in vitro and in vivo. This strategy provides a platform for the regulation of virus replication without targeting viral proteins directly.

scholarly journals Tyrosines in the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Cytoplasmic Tail Are Critical for Production of Infectious Virus Particles

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (17) ◽  
pp. 8765-8776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Grantham ◽  
Shaun M. Stewart ◽  
Erin N. Lalime ◽  
Andrew Pekosz
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Reverse Genetics ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Mdck Cells ◽  
Cytoplasmic Tail ◽  
M2 Protein ◽  
Alanine Scanning Mutagenesis ◽  
Particle Assembly ◽  
Virus Particles

ABSTRACT The cytoplasmic tail of the influenza A virus M2 protein is required for the production of infectious virions. In this study, critical residues in the M2 cytoplasmic tail were identified by single-alanine scanning mutagenesis. The tyrosine residue at position 76, which is conserved in >99% of influenza virus strains sequenced to date, was identified as being critical for the formation of infectious virus particles using both reverse genetics and a protein trans-complementation assay. Recombinant viruses encoding M2 with the Y76A mutation demonstrated replication defects in MDCK cells as well as in primary differentiated airway epithelial cell cultures, defects in the formation of filamentous virus particles, and reduced packaging of nucleoprotein into virus particles. These defects could all be overcome by a mutation of serine to tyrosine at position 71 of the M2 cytoplasmic tail, which emerged after blind passage of viruses containing the Y76A mutation. These data confirm and extend our understanding of the significance of the M2 protein for infectious virus particle assembly.

scholarly journals Prevailing PA Mutation K356R in Avian Influenza H9N2 Virus Increases Mammalian Replication and Pathogenicity

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (18) ◽  
pp. 8105-8114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guanlong Xu ◽  
Xuxiao Zhang ◽  
Weihua Gao ◽  
Chenxi Wang ◽  
Jinliang Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virus Replication ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
H9n2 Virus ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Adaptive Mutation ◽  
Viral Polymerase ◽  
Polymerase Complex

ABSTRACTAdaptation of the viral polymerase complex comprising PB1, PB2, and PA is necessary for efficient influenza A virus replication in new host species. We found that PA mutation K356R (PA-K356R) has become predominant since 2014 in avian H9N2 viruses in China as with seasonal human H1N1 viruses. The same mutation is also found in most human isolates of emergent avian H7N9 and H10N8 viruses whose six internal gene segments are derived from the H9N2 virus. We further demonstrated the mammalian adaptive functionality of the PA-K356R mutation. Avian H9N2 virus with the PA-K356R mutation in human A549 cells showed increased nuclear accumulation of PA and increased viral polymerase activity that resulted in elevated levels of viral transcription and virus output. The same mutant virus in mice also enhanced virus replication and caused lethal infection. In addition, combined mutation of PA-K356R and PB2-E627K, a well-known mammalian adaptive marker, in the H9N2 virus showed further cooperative increases in virus production and severity of infectionin vitroandin vivo. In summary, PA-K356R behaves as a novel mammalian tropism mutation, which, along with other mutations such as PB2-E627K, might render avian H9N2 viruses adapted for human infection.IMPORTANCEMutations of the polymerase complex (PB1, PB2, and PA) of influenza A virus are necessary for viral adaptation to new hosts. This study reports a novel and predominant mammalian adaptive mutation, PA-K356R, in avian H9N2 viruses and human isolates of emergent H7N9 and H10N8 viruses. We found that PA-356R in H9N2 viruses causes significant increases in virus replication and severity of infection in human cells and mice and that PA-K356R cooperates with the PB2-E627K mutation, a well-characterized human adaptive marker, to exacerbate mammalian infectionin vitroandin vivo. Therefore, the PA-K356R mutation is a significant adaptation in H9N2 viruses and related H7N9 and H10N8 reassortants toward human infectivity.

scholarly journals Verdinexor, a Novel Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export, Reduces Influenza A Virus Replication In Vitro and In Vivo

2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (17) ◽  
pp. 10228-10243 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Perwitasari ◽  
S. Johnson ◽  
X. Yan ◽  
E. Howerth ◽  
S. Shacham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virus Replication ◽  
Nuclear Export ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Selective Inhibitor
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document