To wished to characterize the hemagglutinin (H) gene of the measles virus epidemic strain H1a in Liaoning Province (China) from 1997-2014 to provide a basis for the control and elimination of measles. All 63 measles virus strains were the H1a genotype. Fragments of the H gene (1854 nucleotides) and nucleoprotein (N) gene (450 nucleotides) were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the PCR products sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic-trees were constructed with reference strains of the genotype-H measles virus downloaded from GenBank, including Chinese measles virus strains isolated in 1993-1994 and the vaccine reference strains S-191 and C-47. Sixty-three strains of the measles virus in 1997-2014 belonged to genotype H1a. The mean evolutionary rate for gene N-450 was higher than that for the H gene. All 63 strains of the measles virus were mutated from: serine (Ser S) to asparagine (Asn N) in the 240th amino acid; arginine (Arg R) to glycine (Gly G) in the 243th; and tyrosine (Tyr Y) to Asn N in the 481th amino acid. All measles virus strains in cluster 2 were mutated from proline (Pro P) to leucine (Leu L) in the 397th amino acid. The other neutralization sites showed no apparent difference when comparing the nucleotides/amino acids of the H gene of S191 vaccine strains.
Amino Acid Sequence ; China ; epidemiology ; Databases, Genetic ; Epidemics ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genotype ; Hemagglutinins, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; Measles ; epidemiology ; Measles virus ; genetics ; physiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Phylogeny

Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral/metabolism* ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/metabolism* ; Male ; Measles/metabolism* ; Measles virus/physiology* ; Medical Staff ; Middle Aged ; Saliva/virology* ; Young Adult

Measles virus is an enveloped virus with a non-segmented negative-sense RNA genome. Two envelope glycoproteins on the viral surface, namely hemagglutinin (H) and membrane fusion protein (F), are responsible for the virus entry into susceptible host cells. The specific interaction between H and its cellular receptors is a key step in successful virus infection, determining the infectivity and tissue tropism of the measles virus. Thus far, three H receptors have been identified, including the complement regulatory molecule CD46, the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) and the cell adhesion molecule Nectin-4. Here, we reviewed our molecular understanding on the recognition mechanism of these receptors by the viral H protein, aiming to promote future studies on antiviral drug design and measles virus-based oncolytic therapy.
Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Hemagglutinins, Viral ; metabolism ; Humans ; Measles virus ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Membrane Cofactor Protein ; metabolism ; Membrane Fusion ; Membrane Fusion Proteins ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Receptors, Virus ; metabolism ; Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1