Host-specific functional evolution of seal influenza A virus NS1 protein following avian-to-seal transmission - PubMed
8 hours ago
- #viral adaptation
- #interferon antagonism
- #zoonotic potential
- Seals are susceptible to avian influenza viruses (AIVs), acting as potential intermediates for zoonotic virus emergence.
- NS1 protein, a key interferon antagonist, plays a central role in host adaptation of influenza viruses.
- Phylogenetic analysis confirms multiple bird-to-seal transmission events, with seal-derived NS1 proteins generally showing few amino acid changes.
- An exception is a 2014 seal H10N7 virus with three novel NS1 substitutions at residues 94, 104, and 171.
- These substitutions enhance NS1 stability, interferon suppression, host transcription shut-off, and polymerase activity in human cells, without harming replication in avian cells.
- The findings illustrate how minor NS1 changes can drive host-specific evolution, highlighting the need for surveillance of AIVs in seals.