Inclusion of site-specific mutations in the PB1-gene of a virulent A/WSN/33 (H1N1) strain of influenza A virus changes its phenotypic characteristics

Abstract

Aim. Study of changes in the phenotypic characteristics of the virulent A/WSN/33 (H1N1) strain of influenza A virus under the influence of the inclusion of site-specific mutations in the PB1-gene of this strain.Materials and methods. Using a two-step polymerase reaction in the PB1 gene of A/ WSN/33 (H1N1) strain were included ts mutations taken from the genome of attenuated CA donors-strains: A/Ann Arbor/6/60 (H2N2), A/Leningrad 134/17/57 (H2N2) and A/ Krasnodar/101/35/59. Ts-phenotype, att-phenotype, immunogenicity, as well as weight loss in mice infected with these mutants were studied in the obtained site-specific mutants.Results. It was shown that the inclusion of ts mutations from the genome of CA donorsstrains of attenuation in the PB1 gene of the virulent A/WSN/33 (H1N1) strain leads to a change in the phenotypic characteristics of this strain to different degrees.Discussion. Analysis of the genome of CA strains- donors of attenuation of influenza virus indicates the crucial importance of the presence of functional defects in the PB1– protein for the formation of the attenuation phenotype of the virus.Conclusion. The technology of site-specific mutagenesis canbe successfully used to modify the PB1 gene of a virulent influenza A virus strain in order to construct a new generation of live influenza vaccines.

Keywords

• influenza virus
• cold-adapted (ca) strains-donors of attenuation
• site-specific mutagenesis
• ts- phenotype
• att-phenotype
• immunogenicity