scholarly journals Influenza A virus avian-derived PB1 gene has evolved to match its codon usage to interferon-altered human tRNA pools

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartram L Smith ◽  
Guifang Chen ◽  
Claus O Wilke ◽  
Robert M Krug
Keyword(s):  
Codon Usage ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Synonymous Mutations ◽  
Avian Virus

Influenza A viruses cause an annual highly contagious respiratory disease in humans, and are responsible for periodic human pandemics that have high mortality rates. Pandemic influenza A viruses can result from reassortment of one or more gene segments between a human and an avian virus. These avian virus gene segments need to adapt to humans post introduction. The role of synonymous mutations in this adaptation is not known. Here we focus on the human adaptation of the synonymous codons of the avian virus PB1 gene of the 1968 H3N2 pandemic virus. We generate recombinant H3N2 viruses differing only in codon usage of PB1 mRNA, and demonstrate that the codon usage of recent virus isolates enhances replication in interferon-treated human cells rather than in untreated cells, thereby partially alleviating the interferon-induced antiviral state. High-throughput sequencing of tRNA pools explains this virus phenotype: the levels of some tRNAs differ between interferon-treated and untreated human cells; and the codon usage of H3N2 PB1 mRNA has been evolving over time to match the tRNA pools in interferon-treated human cells. Consequently, our results identify a previously unknown mechanism by which influenza A virus counteracts the host interferon-induced antiviral response and highlight the important role of tRNA pools in the regulation of gene expression.

scholarly journals Influenza A virus avian-derived PB1 gene has evolved to match its codon usage to interferon-altered human tRNA pools

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartram L Smith ◽  
Guifang Chen ◽  
Claus O Wilke ◽  
Robert M Krug
Keyword(s):  
Codon Usage ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Synonymous Mutations ◽  
Avian Virus

Influenza A viruses cause an annual highly contagious respiratory disease in humans, and are responsible for periodic human pandemics that have high mortality rates. Pandemic influenza A viruses can result from reassortment of one or more gene segments between a human and an avian virus. These avian virus gene segments need to adapt to humans post introduction. The role of synonymous mutations in this adaptation is not known. Here we focus on the human adaptation of the synonymous codons of the avian virus PB1 gene of the 1968 H3N2 pandemic virus. We generate recombinant H3N2 viruses differing only in codon usage of PB1 mRNA, and demonstrate that the codon usage of recent virus isolates enhances replication in interferon-treated human cells rather than in untreated cells, thereby partially alleviating the interferon-induced antiviral state. High-throughput sequencing of tRNA pools explains this virus phenotype: the levels of some tRNAs differ between interferon-treated and untreated human cells; and the codon usage of H3N2 PB1 mRNA has been evolving over time to match the tRNA pools in interferon-treated human cells. Consequently, our results identify a previously unknown mechanism by which influenza A virus counteracts the host interferon-induced antiviral response and highlight the important role of tRNA pools in the regulation of gene expression.

scholarly journals Role of the B Allele of Influenza A Virus Segment 8 in Setting Mammalian Host Range and Pathogenicity

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (20) ◽  
pp. 9263-9284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Turnbull ◽  
Helen M. Wise ◽  
Marlynne Q. Nicol ◽  
Nikki Smith ◽  
Rebecca L. Dunfee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
H3n2 Virus ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Avian Virus ◽  
Segment 8 ◽  
Reassortant Viruses

ABSTRACTTwo alleles of segment 8 (NS) circulate in nonchiropteran influenza A viruses. The A allele is found in avian and mammalian viruses, but the B allele is viewed as being almost exclusively found in avian viruses. This might reflect the fact that one or both of its encoded proteins (NS1 and NEP) are maladapted for replication in mammalian hosts. To test this, a number of clade A and B avian virus-derived NS segments were introduced into human H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. In no case was the peak virus titer substantially reduced following infection of various mammalian cell types. Exemplar reassortant viruses also replicated to similar titers in mice, although mice infected with viruses with the avian virus-derived segment 8s had reduced weight loss compared to that achieved in mice infected with the A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) parent.In vitro, the viruses coped similarly with type I interferons. Temporal proteomics analysis of cellular responses to infection showed that the avian virus-derived NS segments provoked lower levels of expression of interferon-stimulated genes in cells than wild type-derived NS segments. Thus, neither the A nor the B allele of avian virus-derived NS segments necessarily attenuates virus replication in a mammalian host, although the alleles can attenuate disease. Phylogenetic analyses identified 32 independent incursions of an avian virus-derived A allele into mammals, whereas 6 introductions of a B allele were identified. However, A-allele isolates from birds outnumbered B-allele isolates, and the relative rates ofAves-to-Mammaliatransmission were not significantly different. We conclude that while the introduction of an avian virus segment 8 into mammals is a relatively rare event, the dogma of the B allele being especially restricted is misleading, with implications in the assessment of the pandemic potential of avian influenza viruses.IMPORTANCEInfluenza A virus (IAV) can adapt to poultry and mammalian species, inflicting a great socioeconomic burden on farming and health care sectors. Host adaptation likely involves multiple viral factors. Here, we investigated the role of IAV segment 8. Segment 8 has evolved into two distinct clades: the A and B alleles. The B-allele genes have previously been suggested to be restricted to avian virus species. We introduced a selection of avian virus A- and B-allele segment 8s into human H1N1 and H3N2 virus backgrounds and found that these reassortant viruses were fully competent in mammalian host systems. We also analyzed the currently available public data on the segment 8 gene distribution and found surprisingly little evidence for specific avian host restriction of the B-clade segment. We conclude that B-allele segment 8 genes are, in fact, capable of supporting infection in mammals and that they should be considered during the assessment of the pandemic risk of zoonotic influenza A viruses.

scholarly journals The Surface-Exposed PA51-72-Loop of the Influenza A Virus Polymerase Is Required for Viral Genome Replication

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin E. Nilsson-Payant ◽  
Jane Sharps ◽  
Narin Hengrung ◽  
Ervin Fodor
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Replication Initiation ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Viral Polymerase ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Endonuclease Domain

ABSTRACTThe heterotrimeric influenza A virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex, composed of PB1, PB2, and PA subunits, is responsible for transcribing and replicating the viral RNA genome. The N-terminal endonuclease domain of the PA subunit performs endonucleolytic cleavage of capped host RNAs to generate capped RNA primers for viral transcription. A surface-exposed flexible loop (PA51-72-loop) in the PA endonuclease domain has been shown to be dispensable for endonuclease activity. Interestingly, the PA51-72-loop was found to form different intramolecular interactions depending on the conformational arrangement of the polymerase. In this study, we show that a PA subunit lacking the PA51-72-loop assembles into a heterotrimeric polymerase with PB1 and PB2. We demonstrate that in a cellular context, the PA51-72-loop is required for RNA replication but not transcription by the viral polymerase. In agreement, recombinant viral polymerase lacking the PA51-72-loop is able to carry out cap-dependent transcription but is inhibited inde novoreplication initiationin vitro. Furthermore, viral RNA (vRNA) synthesis is also restricted during ApG-primed extension, indicating that the PA51-72-loop is required not only for replication initiation but also for elongation on a cRNA template. We propose that the PA51-72-loop plays a role in the stabilization of the replicase conformation of the polymerase. Together, these results further our understanding of influenza virus RNA genome replication in general and highlight a role of the PA endonuclease domain in polymerase function in particular.IMPORTANCEInfluenza A viruses are a major global health threat, not only causing significant morbidity and mortality every year but also having the potential to cause severe pandemic outbreaks like the 1918 influenza pandemic. The viral polymerase is a protein complex which is responsible for transcription and replication of the viral genome and therefore is an attractive target for antiviral drug development. For that purpose it is important to understand the mechanisms of how the virus replicates its genome and how the viral polymerase works on a molecular level. In this report, we characterize the role of the flexible surface-exposed PA51-72-loop in polymerase function and offer new insights into the replication mechanism of influenza A viruses.

scholarly journals Role of the PB2 627 Domain in Influenza A Virus Polymerase Function

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin E. Nilsson ◽  
Aartjan J. W. te Velthuis ◽  
Ervin Fodor
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Viral Polymerase ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Rna Genome ◽  
Transcription And Replication

ABSTRACT The RNA genome of influenza A viruses is transcribed and replicated by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, composed of the subunits PA, PB1, and PB2. High-resolution structural data revealed that the polymerase assembles into a central polymerase core and several auxiliary highly flexible, protruding domains. The auxiliary PB2 cap-binding and the PA endonuclease domains are both involved in cap snatching, but the role of the auxiliary PB2 627 domain, implicated in host range restriction of influenza A viruses, is still poorly understood. In this study, we used structure-guided truncations of the PB2 subunit to show that a PB2 subunit lacking the 627 domain accumulates in the cell nucleus and assembles into a heterotrimeric polymerase with PB1 and PA. Furthermore, we showed that a recombinant viral polymerase lacking the PB2 627 domain is able to carry out cap snatching, cap-dependent transcription initiation, and cap-independent ApG dinucleotide extension in vitro, indicating that the PB2 627 domain of the influenza virus RNA polymerase is not involved in core catalytic functions of the polymerase. However, in a cellular context, the 627 domain is essential for both transcription and replication. In particular, we showed that the PB2 627 domain is essential for the accumulation of the cRNA replicative intermediate in infected cells. Together, these results further our understanding of the role of the PB2 627 domain in transcription and replication of the influenza virus RNA genome. IMPORTANCE Influenza A viruses are a major global health threat, not only causing disease in both humans and birds but also placing significant strains on economies worldwide. Avian influenza A virus polymerases typically do not function efficiently in mammalian hosts and require adaptive mutations to restore polymerase activity. These adaptations include mutations in the 627 domain of the PB2 subunit of the viral polymerase, but it still remains to be established how these mutations enable host adaptation on a molecular level. In this report, we characterize the role of the 627 domain in polymerase function and offer insights into the replication mechanism of influenza A viruses.

scholarly journals Avian Influenza Virus PB1 Gene in H3N2 Viruses Evolved in Humans To Reduce Interferon Inhibition by Skewing Codon Usage toward Interferon-Altered tRNA Pools

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartram L. Smith ◽  
Guifang Chen ◽  
Claus O. Wilke ◽  
Robert M. Krug
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Avian Influenza ◽  
Codon Usage ◽  
Avian Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Human Adaptation ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Avian Influenza Viruses

ABSTRACTInfluenza A viruses cause an annual contagious respiratory disease in humans and are responsible for periodic high-mortality human pandemics. Pandemic influenza A viruses usually result from the reassortment of gene segments between human and avian influenza viruses. These avian influenza virus gene segments need to adapt to humans. Here we focus on the human adaptation of the synonymous codons of the avian influenza virus PB1 gene of the 1968 H3N2 pandemic virus. We generated recombinant H3N2 viruses differing only in codon usage of PB1 mRNA and demonstrated that codon usage of the PB1 mRNA of recent H3N2 virus isolates enhances replication in interferon (IFN)-treated human cells without affecting replication in untreated cells, thereby partially alleviating the interferon-induced antiviral state. High-throughput sequencing of tRNA pools explains the reduced inhibition of replication by interferon: the levels of some tRNAs differ between interferon-treated and untreated human cells, and evolution of the codon usage of H3N2 PB1 mRNA is skewed toward interferon-altered human tRNA pools. Consequently, the avian influenza virus-derived PB1 mRNAs of modern H3N2 viruses have acquired codon usages that better reflect tRNA availabilities in IFN-treated cells. Our results indicate that the change in tRNA availabilities resulting from interferon treatment is a previously unknown aspect of the antiviral action of interferon, which has been partially overcome by human-adapted H3N2 viruses.IMPORTANCEPandemic influenza A viruses that cause high human mortality usually result from reassortment of gene segments between human and avian influenza viruses. These avian influenza virus gene segments need to adapt to humans. Here we focus on the human adaptation of the avian influenza virus PB1 gene that was incorporated into the 1968 H3N2 pandemic virus. We demonstrate that the coding sequence of the PB1 mRNA of modern H3N2 viruses enhances replication in human cells in which interferon has activated a potent antiviral state. Reduced interferon inhibition results from evolution of PB1 mRNA codons skewed toward the pools of tRNAs in interferon-treated human cells, which, as shown here, differ significantly from the tRNA pools in untreated human cells. Consequently, avian influenza virus-derived PB1 mRNAs of modern H3N2 viruses have acquired codon usages that better reflect tRNA availabilities in IFN-treated cells and are translated more efficiently.

scholarly journals Avian ANP32B does not support influenza A virus polymerase and influenza A virus relies exclusively on ANP32A in chicken cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason S. Long ◽  
Alewo Idoko-Akoh ◽  
Bhakti Mistry ◽  
Daniel H. Goldhill ◽  
Ecco Staller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Support Function ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Polymerase Activity ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
The Poor

SummaryInfluenza A viruses (IAV) are subject to species barriers that prevent frequent zoonotic transmission and pandemics. One of these barriers is the poor activity of avian IAV polymerases in human cells. Differences between avian and mammalian ANP32 proteins underlie this host range barrier. Human ANP32A and ANP32B homologues both support function of human-adapted influenza polymerase but do not support efficient activity of avian IAV polymerase which requires avian ANP32A. We show here that avian ANP32B is evolutionarily distinct from mammalian ANP32B, and that chicken ANP32B does not support IAV polymerase activity even of human-adapted viruses. Consequently, IAV does not replicate in chicken cells that lack ANP32A. Amino acid differences in LRR5 domain accounted for the inactivity of chicken ANP32B. Transfer of these residues to chicken ANP32A abolished support of IAV polymerase. Understanding ANP32 function will help develop antiviral strategies and aid the design of influenza virus resistant genome edited chickens.

scholarly journals The Functional Role of Loops and Flanking Sequences of G-Quadruplex Aptamer to the Hemagglutinin of Influenza a Virus

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2409
Author(s):  
Anastasia A. Bizyaeva ◽  
Dmitry A. Bunin ◽  
Valeria L. Moiseenko ◽  
Alexandra S. Gambaryan ◽  
Sonja Balk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Core Structure ◽  
Dna Aptamer ◽  
Tertiary Structures ◽  
Quadruplex Dna ◽  
G Quadruplex ◽  
Flanking Sequences ◽  
Related Proteins

Nucleic acid aptamers are generally accepted as promising elements for the specific and high-affinity binding of various biomolecules. It has been shown for a number of aptamers that the complexes with several related proteins may possess a similar affinity. An outstanding example is the G-quadruplex DNA aptamer RHA0385, which binds to the hemagglutinins of various influenza A virus strains. These hemagglutinins have homologous tertiary structures but moderate-to-low amino acid sequence identities. Here, the experiment was inverted, targeting the same protein using a set of related, parallel G-quadruplexes. The 5′- and 3′-flanking sequences of RHA0385 were truncated to yield parallel G-quadruplex with three propeller loops that were 7, 1, and 1 nucleotides in length. Next, a set of minimal, parallel G-quadruplexes with three single-nucleotide loops was tested. These G-quadruplexes were characterized both structurally and functionally. All parallel G-quadruplexes had affinities for both recombinant hemagglutinin and influenza virions. In summary, the parallel G-quadruplex represents a minimal core structure with functional activity that binds influenza A hemagglutinin. The flanking sequences and loops represent additional features that can be used to modulate the affinity. Thus, the RHA0385–hemagglutinin complex serves as an excellent example of the hypothesis of a core structure that is decorated with additional recognizing elements capable of improving the binding properties of the aptamer.

scholarly journals Investigating Influenza A Virus Infection: Tools To Track Infection and Limit Tropism: TABLE 1

2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (12) ◽  
pp. 6167-6170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica K. Fiege ◽  
Ryan A. Langlois
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Microrna Target ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Cellular Tropism ◽  
The Relationship

Influenza A viruses display a broad cellular tropism within the respiratory tracts of mammalian hosts. Uncovering the relationship between tropism and virus immunity, pathogenesis, and transmission will be critical for the development of therapeutic interventions. Here we discuss recent developments of several recombinant strains of influenza A virus. These viruses have inserted reporters to track tropism, microRNA target sites to restrict tropism, or barcodes to assess transmission dynamics, expanding our understanding of pathogen-host interactions.

scholarly journals Unexpected Functional Divergence of Bat Influenza Virus NS1 Proteins

2017 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah L. Turkington ◽  
Mindaugas Juozapaitis ◽  
Nikos Tsolakos ◽  
Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar ◽  
Martin Schwemmle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Functional Divergence ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Regulatory Subunit ◽  
Ns1 Protein ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Hydrophobic Patch

ABSTRACT Recently, two influenza A virus (FLUAV) genomes were identified in Central and South American bats. These sequences exhibit notable divergence from classical FLUAV counterparts, and functionally, bat FLUAV glycoproteins lack canonical receptor binding and destroying activity. Nevertheless, other features that distinguish these viruses from classical FLUAVs have yet to be explored. Here, we studied the viral nonstructural protein NS1, a virulence factor that modulates host signaling to promote efficient propagation. Like all FLUAV NS1 proteins, bat FLUAV NS1s bind double-stranded RNA and act as interferon antagonists. Unexpectedly, we found that bat FLUAV NS1s are unique in being unable to bind host p85β, a regulatory subunit of the cellular metabolism-regulating enzyme, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Furthermore, neither bat FLUAV NS1 alone nor infection with a chimeric bat FLUAV efficiently activates Akt, a PI3K effector. Structure-guided mutagenesis revealed that the bat FLUAV NS1-p85β interaction can be reengineered (in a strain-specific manner) by changing two to four NS1 residues (96L, 99M, 100I, and 145T), thereby creating a hydrophobic patch. Notably, ameliorated p85β-binding is insufficient for bat FLUAV NS1 to activate PI3K, and a chimeric bat FLUAV expressing NS1 with engineered hydrophobic patch mutations exhibits cell-type-dependent, but species-independent, propagation phenotypes. We hypothesize that bat FLUAV hijacking of PI3K in the natural bat host has been selected against, perhaps because genes in this metabolic pathway were differentially shaped by evolution to suit the unique energy use strategies of this flying mammal. These data expand our understanding of the enigmatic functional divergence between bat FLUAVs and classical mammalian and avian FLUAVs. IMPORTANCE The potential for novel influenza A viruses to establish infections in humans from animals is a source of continuous concern due to possible severe outbreaks or pandemics. The recent discovery of influenza A-like viruses in bats has raised questions over whether these entities could be a threat to humans. Understanding unique properties of the newly described bat influenza A-like viruses, such as their mechanisms to infect cells or how they manipulate host functions, is critical to assess their likelihood of causing disease. Here, we characterized the bat influenza A-like virus NS1 protein, a key virulence factor, and found unexpected functional divergence of this protein from counterparts in other influenza A viruses. Our study dissects the molecular changes required by bat influenza A-like virus NS1 to adopt classical influenza A virus properties and suggests consequences of bat influenza A-like virus infection, potential future evolutionary trajectories, and intriguing virus-host biology in bat species.

scholarly journals Characterization of a Human H5N1 Influenza A Virus Isolated in 2003

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (15) ◽  
pp. 9926-9932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoko Shinya ◽  
Masato Hatta ◽  
Shinya Yamada ◽  
Ayato Takada ◽  
Shinji Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Avian Influenza ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
H5n1 Avian Influenza Virus ◽  
H5n1 Influenza ◽  
Avian Influenza A Virus

ABSTRACT In 2003, H5N1 avian influenza virus infections were diagnosed in two Hong Kong residents who had visited the Fujian province in mainland China, affording us the opportunity to characterize one of the viral isolates, A/Hong Kong/213/03 (HK213; H5N1). In contrast to H5N1 viruses isolated from humans during the 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong, HK213 retained several features of aquatic bird viruses, including the lack of a deletion in the neuraminidase stalk and the absence of additional oligosaccharide chains at the globular head of the hemagglutinin molecule. It demonstrated weak pathogenicity in mice and ferrets but caused lethal infection in chickens. The original isolate failed to produce disease in ducks but became more pathogenic after five passages. Taken together, these findings portray the HK213 isolate as an aquatic avian influenza A virus without the molecular changes associated with the replication of H5N1 avian viruses in land-based poultry such as chickens. This case challenges the view that adaptation to land-based poultry is a prerequisite for the replication of aquatic avian influenza A viruses in humans.

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