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Master of Public Health

Functional Analysis of the 60 Nucleotide Duplication in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Buenos Aires Strain Attachment Glycoprotein.

AUTHORS

Hotard AL , Laikhter E , Brooks K , Hartert TV , Moore ML , . Journal of virology. 2015 5 27; ().

ABSTRACT

There are two subgroups of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), A and B, and within each subgroup isolates are further divided into clades. Several years ago, multiple subgroup B isolates were described which contained a duplication of 60 nucleotides in the G gene. These isolates were given a new clade designation of BA based on the site of isolation, Buenos Aires, Argentina. BA RSV strains have since become the predominant circulating clade of RSV B viruses. We hypothesized that the duplicated region in G serves to enhance the function of G in the virus life cycle. We generated recombinant viruses that express a consensus BA G gene, or a consensus BA G gene lacking the duplication (GΔdup). We determined that the duplicated region functions during virus attachment to cells. Additionally, we showed that in vitro, the virus containing the duplication has a fitness advantage compared to the virus without the duplication. Our data demonstrate that the duplicated region in the BA strain G protein augments virus attachment and fitness.

There are two subgroups of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), A and B, and within each subgroup isolates are further divided into clades. Several years ago, multiple subgroup B isolates were described which contained a duplication of 60 nucleotides in the G gene. These isolates were given a new clade designation of BA based on the site of isolation, Buenos Aires, Argentina. BA RSV strains have since become the predominant circulating clade of RSV B viruses. We hypothesized that the duplicated region in G serves to enhance the function of G in the virus life cycle. We generated recombinant viruses that express a consensus BA G gene, or a consensus BA G gene lacking the duplication (GΔdup). We determined that the duplicated region functions during virus attachment to cells. Additionally, we showed that in vitro, the virus containing the duplication has a fitness advantage compared to the virus without the duplication. Our data demonstrate that the duplicated region in the BA strain G protein augments virus attachment and fitness.

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