Analysis of segmented RNA genome packaging in influenza virus particle

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871077
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry; Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation
• Principal Investigator: TAKIZAWA Naoki 公益財団法人微生物化学研究会, 微生物化学研究所, 研究員 (50448502)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: インフルエンザウイルス / RNAウイルス / 分節化ゲノム / ゲノムパッケージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The influenza A genome consists of eight single-stranded negative-sense viral RNA (vRNA) segments. Previous studies have suggested that each infectious virion must contain at least one set of eight vRNP segments. However, how influenza virions selectively incorporate a set of the eight distinct vRNAs is not known. In this study, we try to identify the RNA motif for packaging of viral genome. As a result, we identified candidate nucleotides important for genome packaging in protein cording region. The virus which has a mutation in the identified nucleotide reduce viral RNAs in culture supernatant from infected cells but the replication and transcription are comparable to those in wild type virus infected cells. These results suggest that the identified nucleotides are important for genome packaging in influenza virion.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学