mBio (Feb 2021)

Plasticity of the Influenza Virus H5 HA Protein

  • Huihui Kong,
  • David F. Burke,
  • Tiago Jose da Silva Lopes,
  • Kosuke Takada,
  • Masaki Imai,
  • Gongxun Zhong,
  • Masato Hatta,
  • Shufang Fan,
  • Shiho Chiba,
  • Derek Smith,
  • Gabriele Neumann,
  • Yoshihiro Kawaoka

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.03324-20
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1

Abstract

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The HA protein of influenza A viruses is the major viral antigen. In this study, we simultaneously introduced mutations at 17 amino acid positions of an H5 HA expected to affect antigenicity. Viruses with ≥13 amino acid changes in HA were viable, and some had altered antigenic properties. H5 HA can therefore accommodate many mutations in regions that affect antigenicity. The substantial plasticity of H5 HA may facilitate the emergence of novel antigenic variants.