A research group at the University of Tokyo has succeeded in establishing and optimizing a reverse genetics method that can artificially produce influenza D virus associated with respiratory diseases in cattle.
Recently, a new type (D) influenza virus discovered in the United States has spread all over the world and has been found to be the causative virus of bovine respiratory disease syndrome, which accounts for most of the causes of death in cattle.However, many of the viral properties are unknown, and preventive vaccines have not been put into practical use.
The reverse genetics method is a method for producing a virus by simultaneously introducing a plasmid (extranuclear gene) encoding a genomic RNA segment of an influenza virus into a cultured cell.Mutants can be introduced into genomic RNA transcription plasmids to create mutant viruses.This technology has been established for other types of influenza viruses, and it has been effectively utilized as an essential analysis technology for detailed basic research. It has been transformed.
This time, the research group has succeeded in establishing and optimizing a reverse genetics technology that analyzes the base sequence of the influenza D virus genome in detail and artificially constructs infectious virus particles from a plasmid based on that information. ..
This technique can be used as an arbitrary genome modification technique for analysis of virus growth process using a mutant virus and analysis of virus antigenicity important for the development of a highly effective vaccine.Furthermore, in the development of influenza D vaccine, it is expected to enable the production of an ideal live attenuated vaccine strain capable of inducing mucosal antibodies capable of protecting against infection, and to contribute to the control of bovine respiratory disease syndrome, which causes widespread damage. NS.
Paper information:[Journal of Virology] Establishment of a Reverse Genetics System for Influenza D Virus
