Description
Influenza A virus belongs to enveloped viruses with a negative polarity RNA genome consisting of 8 RNA segments, which transcribe a template synthesis of positive-sense mRNAs translating 14 unique viral proteins with splicing and translational shift mechanisms in some mRNAs. Through this classical negative polarity pathway, the 8’th NS segment encodes the anti-interferon NS1 protein (mw 27 kDa) and the nuclear export NEP protein (14 kDa). Surprisingly, an alternative open reading frame (ORF) for the synthesis of the third viral protein (NSP – “negative-strand polarity protein”; m.w. 17-25 kDa in different virus strains), was identified in the NS segment/ This ORF suggests an additional positive polarity genome strategy for influenza A virus. Earlier it was shown that full-length virion polarity RNA segment NS of influenza A virus initiated synthesis of the NSP protein in vitro translation system derived from rabbit reticulocyte, indicating a messenger function of the virion RNA [Zhirnov et al. 2017; Dokl Biochem Biophys.,473(1):122-127]. Whether the NSP protein can be synthesized in the whole body under infection with influenza A virus is not yet known. Here, in order to test this idea, the formation of lymphocytes specific to this protein was studied in mice after sequential infections with influenza A viruses H1N1 and H3N2. The formation of T-lymphocyte specific clones recognizing a peptide domain in the central region of the NSP protein (amino acid positions 81-119) was found to develop in mice infected with influenza A viruses. These observations additionally confirm that expression of the NSP gene and synthesis of the corresponding protein occur in the animal organism under infection with influenza A virus. The obtained data further support the concept that RNA genome of influenza A virus has a bipolar (ambisense) strategy.
| Choose primary session | Pathogenesis |
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| Choose secondary Session | Evolution and Emerging viruses |
