Tokyo, Aug 7 (Kyodo)
An international team of researchers led by a university professor from Japan has discovered a biochemical signal in flu virus that indicates whether it would infect humans and spread, the US science journal PLoS Pathogens has said.
Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka of University of Tokyo found out that if either of two particular amino acids, lysine or arginine, is observed in position 591 in PB2 protein of flu viruses, it will lead to efficient replication of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus or the pandemic new-type H1N1 virus in humans.
"Even the H5N1 virus, which rarely spreads to humans, would be able to replicate in humans if the amino acids are observed in this area (position 591)," said Kawaoka, a director of the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo.
Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka of University of Tokyo found out that if either of two particular amino acids, lysine or arginine, is observed in position 591 in PB2 protein of flu viruses, it will lead to efficient replication of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus or the pandemic new-type H1N1 virus in humans.
"Even the H5N1 virus, which rarely spreads to humans, would be able to replicate in humans if the amino acids are observed in this area (position 591)," said Kawaoka, a director of the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo.
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