1
|
Trende R, Darling TL, Gan T, Wang D, Boon AC. Barcoded SARS-CoV-2 viruses define the impact of time and route of transmission on the transmission bottleneck in a Syrian hamster model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.08.597602. [PMID: 38915710 PMCID: PMC11195048 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.597602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The transmission bottleneck, defined as the number of viruses that transmit from one host to infect another, is an important determinant of the rate of virus evolution and the level of immunity required to protect against virus transmission. Despite its importance, SARS-CoV-2's transmission bottleneck remains poorly characterized, in part due to a lack of quantitative measurement tools. To address this, we adapted a SARS-CoV-2 reverse genetics system to generate a pool of >200 isogenic SARS-CoV-2 viruses harboring specific 6-nucleotide barcodes inserted in ORF10, a non-translated ORF. We directly inoculated donor Syrian hamsters intranasally with this barcoded virus pool and exposed a paired naïve contact hamster to each donor. Following exposure, the nasal turbinates, trachea, and lungs were collected, viral titers were measured, and the number of barcodes in each tissue were enumerated to quantify the transmission bottleneck. The duration and route (airborne, direct contact, and fomite) of exposure were varied to assess their impact on the transmission bottleneck. In airborne-exposed hamsters, the transmission bottleneck increased with longer exposure durations. We found that direct contact exposure produced the largest transmission bottleneck (average 27 BCs), followed by airborne exposure (average 16 BCs) then fomite exposure (average 8 BCs). Interestingly, we detected unique BCs in both the upper and lower respiratory tract of contact animals from all routes of exposure, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect hamster lungs. Altogether, these findings highlight the utility of barcoded viruses as tools to rigorously study virus transmission. In the future, barcoded SARS-CoV-2 will strengthen studies of immune factors that influence virus transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reed Trende
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tamarand L. Darling
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tianyu Gan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Adrianus C.M. Boon
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guo X, Zhou Y, Yan H, An Q, Liang C, Liu L, Qian J. Molecular Markers and Mechanisms of Influenza A Virus Cross-Species Transmission and New Host Adaptation. Viruses 2024; 16:883. [PMID: 38932174 PMCID: PMC11209369 DOI: 10.3390/v16060883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Influenza A viruses continue to be a serious health risk to people and result in a large-scale socio-economic loss. Avian influenza viruses typically do not replicate efficiently in mammals, but through the accumulation of mutations or genetic reassortment, they can overcome interspecies barriers, adapt to new hosts, and spread among them. Zoonotic influenza A viruses sporadically infect humans and exhibit limited human-to-human transmission. However, further adaptation of these viruses to humans may result in airborne transmissible viruses with pandemic potential. Therefore, we are beginning to understand genetic changes and mechanisms that may influence interspecific adaptation, cross-species transmission, and the pandemic potential of influenza A viruses. We also discuss the genetic and phenotypic traits associated with the airborne transmission of influenza A viruses in order to provide theoretical guidance for the surveillance of new strains with pandemic potential and the prevention of pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Guo
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China;
| | - Yang Zhou
- Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510440, China
| | - Huijun Yan
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (H.Y.); (C.L.)
| | - Qing An
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Chudan Liang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (H.Y.); (C.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Highly Pathogenic Microorganism Science Data Center, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Linna Liu
- Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510440, China
| | - Jun Qian
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China;
- Guangdong Provincial Highly Pathogenic Microorganism Science Data Center, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, Shenzhen 518107, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sun X, Belser JA, Pulit-Penaloza JA, Brock N, Kieran TJ, Zeng H, Pappas C, Tumpey TM, Maines TR. A naturally occurring HA-stabilizing amino acid (HA1-Y17) in an A(H9N2) low-pathogenic influenza virus contributes to airborne transmission. mBio 2024; 15:e0295723. [PMID: 38112470 PMCID: PMC10790695 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02957-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Despite the accumulation of evidence showing that airborne transmissible influenza A virus (IAV) typically has a lower pH threshold for hemagglutinin (HA) fusion activation, the underlying mechanism for such a link remains unclear. In our study, by using a pair of isogenic recombinant A(H9N2) viruses with a phenotypical difference in virus airborne transmission in a ferret model due to an acid-destabilizing mutation (HA1-Y17H) in the HA, we demonstrate that an acid-stable A(H9N2) virus possesses a multitude of advantages over its less stable counterpart, including better fitness in the ferret respiratory tract, more effective aerosol emission from infected animals, and improved host susceptibility. Our study provides supporting evidence for the requirement of acid stability in efficient airborne transmission of IAV and sheds light on fundamental mechanisms for virus airborne transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjie Sun
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica A. Belser
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joanna A. Pulit-Penaloza
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicole Brock
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Troy J. Kieran
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hui Zeng
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Claudia Pappas
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Terrence M. Tumpey
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Taronna R. Maines
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tosheva II, Saygan KS, Mijnhardt SM, Russell CJ, Fraaij PLA, Herfst S. Hemagglutinin stability as a key determinant of influenza A virus transmission via air. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 61:101335. [PMID: 37307646 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To cause pandemics, zoonotic respiratory viruses need to adapt to replication in and spread between humans, either via (indirect or direct) contact or through the air via droplets and aerosols. To render influenza A viruses transmissible via air, three phenotypic viral properties must change, of which receptor-binding specificity and polymerase activity have been well studied. However, the third adaptive property, hemagglutinin (HA) acid stability, is less understood. Recent studies show that there may be a correlation between HA acid stability and virus survival in the air, suggesting that a premature conformational change of HA, triggered by low pH in the airways or droplets, may render viruses noninfectious before they can reach a new host. We here summarize available data from (animal) studies on the impact of HA acid stability on airborne transmission and hypothesize that the transmissibility of other respiratory viruses may also be impacted by an acidic environment in the airways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona I Tosheva
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kain S Saygan
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, Delft, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Ma Mijnhardt
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, Delft, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charles J Russell
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Pieter LA Fraaij
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, Delft, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Herfst
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, Delft, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|