2. Academic Validation
  3. Generation of a Reassortant Influenza A Subtype H3N2 Virus Expressing Gaussia Luciferase

Generation of a Reassortant Influenza A Subtype H3N2 Virus Expressing Gaussia Luciferase

  • Viruses. 2019 Jul 20;11(7):665. doi: 10.3390/v11070665.
Lin Wang 1,  Qinghua Cui 1 2 3,  Xiujuan Zhao 1,  Ping Li 1,  Yanyan Wang 1,  Lijun Rong 4,  Ruikun Du 5 6 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
  • 2 Shandong Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Antiviral Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
  • 3 Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China.
  • 4 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. lijun@uic.edu.
  • 5 College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China. duzi857@163.com.
  • 6 Shandong Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Antiviral Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China. duzi857@163.com.
  • 7 Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China. duzi857@163.com.
PMID: 31330768 DOI: 10.3390/v11070665
Abstract

Reporter influenza A viruses (IAVs) carrying fluorescent or luminescent genes provide a powerful tool for both basic and translational research. Most reporter IAVs are based on the backbone of either subtype H1N1 viruses, A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) or A/WSN/1933, but no reporter subtype H3N2 virus is currently available to our knowledge. Since the IAV subtype H3N2 co-circulates with H1N1 among humans causing annual epidemics, a reporter influenza A subtype H3N2 virus would be highly valuable. In this study, the segments of A/Wyoming/3/03 (NY, H3N2) virus encoding hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, respectively, were reassorted with the six internal genes of PR8 where the NS gene was fused with a Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) gene. Using reverse genetics, NY-r19-Gluc, a replication competent reassortant influenza A subtype H3N2 virus expressing reporter Gluc was successfully generated. This reporter virus is stable during replication in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, and preliminary studies demonstrated it as a useful tool to evaluate antivirals. In addition, NY-r19-Gluc virus will be a powerful tool in other studies including the application of diagnostic and therapeutic Antibodies as well as the evaluation of novel vaccines.

Keywords

influenza A virus; reassortant; reporter virus; subtype H3N2.

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