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A 44-Nucleotide Region in the Chikungunya Virus 3′ UTR Dictates Viral Fitness in Disparate Host Cells

Authors :
Stephanie E. Ander
Kathryn S. Carpentier
Wes Sanders
Cormac J. Lucas
Austin J. Jolly
Cydney N. Johnson
David W. Hawman
Mark T. Heise
Nathaniel J. Moorman
Thomas E. Morrison
Source :
Viruses, Vol 16, Iss 6, p 861 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

We previously reported that deletion of a 44-nucleotide element in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) genome enhances the virulence of CHIKV infection in mice. Here, we find that while this 44-nucleotide deletion enhances CHIKV fitness in murine embryonic fibroblasts in a manner independent of the type I interferon response, the same mutation decreases viral fitness in C6/36 mosquito cells. Further, the fitness advantage conferred by the UTR deletion in mammalian cells is maintained in vivo in a mouse model of CHIKV dissemination. Finally, SHAPE-MaP analysis of the CHIKV 3′ UTR revealed this 44-nucleotide element forms a distinctive two-stem-loop structure that is ablated in the mutant 3′ UTR without altering additional 3′ UTR RNA secondary structures.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19994915
Volume :
16
Issue :
6
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Viruses
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.9d1c236b594b4e9eb72f3e4301308c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16060861