Commentary
Removed Human Sequences in H7N2 Replaced With Avian
Recombinomics Commentary 21:12
June 2, 2008
Today the CDC replaced the four human sequences in A/New York/107/2003 (PB1, PA, MP, and NS) with avian sequences closely related to H7N2 sequences from New York. The original deposits were human H3N2 sequences for these genes. Thus, the apparent reassortant was presumably due to submission errors for these four genes. The banner was removed from the three avian genes (HA, NA, NP), which were deposited in March and released in April.
The H7N2 isolate from a patient who was hospitalized in New York in 2002 attracted significant interest because of increased affinity for human receptors and transmission from ferret to ferret.
Based on the revised sequences this enhanced transmission appears to be due in large part to the HA sequence, which has an 8 amino acid deletion proximal to the receptor binding domain, and three basic amino acids at the HA cleavage site.
Release of the PB2 sequence would be useful.
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