The A487 residue in the E protein of duck Tembusu virus significantly enhances viral replication and increases its neurovirulence in Kunming mice
Tembusu virus is a mosquito-borne avian orthoflavivirus, exhibiting airborne transmission. Although it primarily affects domestic fowl, TMUV demonstrates high neurovirulence in mice during laboratory studies and has been reported to spill over into humans. Recent years have seen increased genetic diversity and an expanded host range of the virus. Strains belonging to phylogenetic cluster 3 can cause severe neurological symptoms and death in mice via intranasal infection, further highlighting its risk of potential transmission to mammals. Understanding their pathogenicity and the underlying molecular basis is crucial for assessing and preventing health risks to mammals. We identified a single amino acid substitution in the TMUV E protein that critically enhances viral replication and neurovirulence in mice. The data provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of Tembusu virus pathogenesis in mammals and underscore the impact of specific genetic mutations on the viral phenotype.
Authors
- Juan Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7129-602X)
- Qiao Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7401-2168)
- Mafeng Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6834-3128)
- Ying Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2716-6209)
- Shaqiu Zhang
- Anchun Cheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6093-353X)
- Xinxin Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1901-1784)
- Renyong Jia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3539-9184)
- Dekang Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7314-1088)
- Jiaqi Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9592-4980)
- Mingshu Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5260-3143)
- Tao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0834-4372)
- Xiaoli Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2117-5374)
- Shun Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7488-1037)
- Yu He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3992-0966)
- Zhen Wu
- Di Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7278-0403)
- Xumin Ou
Institutions
- Sichuan Agricultural University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Virology
- Published
- 2025-05-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00308-25
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.76
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
- Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province
- China Agricultural Research System