Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Generation of Escape Variants of Neutralizing Influenza Virus Monoclonal Antibodies
07:55

Generation of Escape Variants of Neutralizing Influenza Virus Monoclonal Antibodies

Published on: August 29, 2017

12.3K

Novel Sequence-Based Mapping of Recently Emerging H5NX Influenza Viruses Reveals Pandemic Vaccine Candidates

Christopher S Anderson1, Marta L DeDiego1, Juilee Thakar1,2

  • 1New York Influenza Center of Excellence, David Smith Center for Immunology and Vaccine Biology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America.

Plos One
|August 6, 2016
PubMed

Insights

A new avian influenza virus (H5NX 2.3.4.4) is a threat to human health. A novel sequence-based mapping tool identified distinct viral variants, aiding in selecting new vaccine candidates for pandemic preparedness.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Genomics
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Avian influenza virus H5NX subclade 2.3.4.4 has emerged and spread globally.
  • This subclade has caused human infections and deaths, with existing vaccines being ineffective.
  • There is an urgent need for new vaccine candidate strains against emerging H5NX viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To understand hemagglutinin protein variation in H5 viruses.
  • To identify patterns associated with H5NX subclade 2.3.4.4 emergence and reassortment.
  • To identify novel vaccine candidate strains for pandemic preparedness.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a novel sequence-based mapping (SBM) tool for visualizing protein sequence data.
  • Application of SBM to the complete set of avian H5 viruses.
  • Analysis of hemagglutinin protein variance and reassortment patterns.

Main Results:

  • SBM successfully identified original reassortments leading to H5NX 2.3.4.4 emergence.
  • The analysis confirmed the virus's ability to reassort among neuraminidase subtypes.
  • Distinct clusters of 2.3.4.4 variants, not covered by current H5 vaccines, were identified.

Conclusions:

  • The sequence-based mapping method is effective for analyzing viral protein variation.
  • The identified viral clusters highlight gaps in existing H5 vaccine coverage.
  • The SBM tool shows potential for pandemic candidate vaccine virus selection.

More Related Videos

Production of High-Titer Infectious Influenza Pseudotyped Particles with Envelope Glycoproteins from Highly Pathogenic H5N1 and Avian H7N9 Viruses08:10

Production of High-Titer Infectious Influenza Pseudotyped Particles with Envelope Glycoproteins from Highly Pathogenic H5N1 and Avian H7N9 Viruses

Published on: January 15, 2020

9.0K
Preparation of Pseudo-Typed H5 Avian Influenza Viruses with Calcium Phosphate Transfection Method and Measurement of Antibody Neutralizing Activity07:15

Preparation of Pseudo-Typed H5 Avian Influenza Viruses with Calcium Phosphate Transfection Method and Measurement of Antibody Neutralizing Activity

Published on: November 22, 2021

3.0K

Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
40.6K
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
25.5K
Leaky Scanning02:28

Leaky Scanning

During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA.  Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.8K