New World Bats Harbor Diverse Influenza A Viruses

Authors

Suxiang Tong, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFollow
Xueyong Zhu, The Scripps Research Institute
Yan Li, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mang Shi, University of Sydney
Jing Zhang, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Melissa Bourgeois, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hua Yang, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Xianfeng Chen, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sergio Recuenco, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jorge Gomez, Direccion General de Epidemiologıa
Li-Mei Chen, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Adam Johnson, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ying Tao, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cyrille Dreyfus, The Scripps Research Institute
Wenli Yu, The Scripps Research Institute
Ryan McBride, The Scripps Research Institute
Paul J. Carney, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Amy T. Gilbert, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFollow
Jessie Chang, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Zhu Guo, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Charles T. Davis, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
James C. Paulson, The Scripps Research Institute
James Stevens, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFollow
Charles E. Rupprecht, The Scripps Research InstituteFollow
Edward C. Holmes, University of SydneyFollow
Ian A. Wilson, Scripps Research InstituteFollow
Ruben O. Donis, Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2013

Citation

Tong, S., X. Zhu, Y. Li, M. Shi, J. Zhang, M. Bourgeois, H. Yang, X. Chen, S. Recuenco, J. Gomez, L. Chen, A. Johnson, Y. Tao, C. Dreyfus, W.Yu, R. McBride, P.J. Carney, A.T. Gilbert, J. Chang, Z. Guo, C.T. Davis, J.C. Paulson, J. Stevens, C.E. Rupprecht, E.C. Holmes, I.A. Wilson, and R.O. Donis. 2013. New world bats harbor diverse influenza A viruses. PLOS Pathogens 9(10): e1003657. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003657.

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

Aquatic birds harbor diverse influenza A viruses and are a major viral reservoir in nature. The recent discovery of influenza viruses of a new H17N10 subtype in Central American fruit bats suggests that other New World species may similarly carry divergent influenza viruses. Using consensus degenerate RT-PCR, we identified a novel influenza A virus, designated as H18N11, in a flat-faced fruit bat (Artibeus planirostris) from Peru. Serologic studies with the recombinant H18 protein indicated that several Peruvian bat species were infected by this virus. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that, in some gene segments, New World bats harbor more influenza virus genetic diversity than all other mammalian and avian species combined, indicative of a long-standing host-virus association. Structural and functional analyses of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase indicate that sialic acid is not a ligand for virus attachment nor a substrate for release, suggesting a unique mode of influenza A virus attachment and activation of membrane fusion for entry into host cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that bats constitute a potentially important and likely ancient reservoir for a diverse pool of influenza viruses.