Live attenuated influenza virus vaccines strains with temperature-sensitive defects in P3 protein and nucleoprotein

P. Palese, Mary B. Ritchey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

The temperature-sensitive influenza virus A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) ts-1[E] has been used as a prototype live attenuated influenza virus vaccine. Using recently developed techniques to map the genome of influenza viruses and to "genotype" influenza virus recombinants, the temperature-sensitive lesions in the virus were identified. These defects, responsible for the attenuation of the virus, are located in the genes for the P3 protein and the nucleoprotein and are associated with virus-specific RNA synthesis. Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) ts-1[E] virus can also serve as a donor of "attenuation characteristics" for the selection of recombinant strains which have different surface antigens and may be used as vaccine strains in the future. The temperature-sensitive mutations of Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) ts-1[E] virus were previously transferred to recombinant viruses carrying the HO hemagglutinin. The RNAs of 8 of these temperature-sensitive recombinants were analyzed. One of these viruses, R1, classified in group 1 of the Hong Kong mutant virus set was found to possess a ts defect only in the P3 protein. R8, a member of group 2 of the Hong Kong mutant virus set had a ts mutation in the nucleoprotein.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)183-191
Number of pages9
JournalVirology
Volume78
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 1977
Externally publishedYes

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