Critical role of segment-specific packaging signals in genetic reassortment of influenza A viruses

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Essere, Boris | Yver, Matthieu | Gavazzi, Cyrille | Terrier, Olivier | Isel, Catherine | Fournier, Emilie | Giroux, Fabienne | Textoris, Julien | Julien, Thomas | Socratous, Clio | Rosa-Calatrava, Manuel | Lina, Bruno | Marquet, Roland | Moules, Vincent

Edité par CCSD ; National Academy of Sciences -

International audience. Significance Genetic reassortment is one of the main mechanisms by which pandemic viruses emerge during influenza A coinfection, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms affecting this process. Here, we studied genetic reassortment between a human and an avian influenza A strain, focusing on the generation of reassortant viruses containing the avian HA gene, which have pandemic potential. We found that this genetic process was strongly biased, and we show that packaging signals are crucial for genetic reassortment and that suboptimal compatibility between the segment-specific packaging signals of the two parental viruses limits the emergence of reassortant viruses.

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