Molecular Characterization of Hamster-Adapted Yellow Fever Virus

Monica A. Mcarthur, Shuliu L. Zhang, Li Li, Robert B. Tesh, Alan D.T. Barrett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We previously reported two hamster models for viscerotropic yellow fever virus (YFV) infection: one using a YFV strain (Jiménez), isolated from a fatal human case in Panama in 1974, and the other using the prototype YFV strain (Asibi). Asibi hamster passage 7 (P7) was associated with accumulation of seven amino acid substitutions, including five in the envelope protein. In this study we report the genome sequences of the hamster Jiménez P0 and P10 viruses in which we identified only two amino acid substitutions during passage, one each in the nonstructural proteins NS3 and NS5, indicating a role for the nonstructural proteins in increased YFV viscerotropism in the Jiménez hamster model. Thus, there are multiple molecular mechanisms involved in viscerotropism of YFV in the hamster model. Neither Asibi P7 nor Jiménez P10 viruses were viscerotropic in mice or guinea pigs. Thus, the hamster viscerotropic phenotype did not translate to other laboratory rodent species.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)222-227
Number of pages6
JournalVector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
Volume20
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2020

Keywords

  • Yellow fever virus
  • hamster model
  • viral pathogenesis
  • viscerotropism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

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