Neu5Gc binding loss of subtype H7 influenza A virus facilitates adaptation to gallinaceous poultry following transmission from waterbirds but restricts spillback
Authors: Guan Minhui , Deliberto Thomas J. , Feng Aijing , Zhang Jieze , Li Tao , Wang Shuaishuai , Li Lei , Killian Mary Lea , Praena Beatriz , Giri Emily , Deliberto Shelagh T , Hang Jun , Olivier Alicia , Torchetti Mia Kim , Tao Yizhi Jane , Parrish Colin , Wan Xiu-Feng 
Published: January 2024

Migratory waterfowl, gulls, and shorebirds serve as natural reservoirs for influenza A viruses, with potential spillovers to domestic poultry and humans. The intricacies of interspecies adaptation among avian species, particularly from wild birds to domestic poultry, are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying avian species barriers in H7 transmission, particularly the factors responsible for the disproportionate distribution of poultry infected with A/Anhui/1/2013 (AH/13)-lineage H7N9 viruses. We hypothesized that the differential expression of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) among avian species exerts selective pressure on H7 viruses, shaping their evolution and enabling them to replicate and transmit efficiently among gallinaceous poultry, particularly chickens. Our glycan microarray and biolayer interferometry experiments showed that AH/13-lineage H7N9 viruses exclusively bind to Neu5Ac, in contrast to wild waterbird H7 viruses that bind both Neu5Ac and Neu5Gc. Significantly, reverting the V179 amino acid in AH/13-lineage back to the I179, predominantly found in wild waterbirds, expanded the binding affinity of AH/13-lineage H7 viruses from exclusively Neu5Ac to both Neu5Ac and Neu5Gc. When cultivating H7 viruses in cell lines with varied Neu5Gc levels, we observed that Neu5Gc expression impairs the replication of Neu5Ac-specific H7 viruses and facilitates adaptive mutations. Conversely, Neu5Gc deficiency triggers adaptive changes in H7 viruses capable of binding to both Neu5Ac and Neu5Gc. Additionally, we assessed Neu5Gc expression in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tissues of seven avian species, including chickens, Canada geese, and various dabbling ducks. Neu5Gc was absent in chicken and Canada goose, but its expression varied in the duck species. In summary, our findings reveal the crucial role of Neu5Gc in shaping the host range and interspecies transmission of H7 viruses. This understanding of virus-host interactions is crucial for developing strategies to manage and prevent influenza virus outbreaks in diverse avian populations.

Author Summary

Migratory waterfowl, gulls, and shorebirds are natural reservoirs for influenza A viruses that can occasionally spill over to domestic poultry, and ultimately humans. The molecular mechanisms underlying interspecies transmission and adaptation, particularly between wild birds and domestic poultry, remain poorly understood. This study showed wild-type H7 influenza A viruses from waterbirds initially bind to glycan receptors terminated with N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) or N-Glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). However, after enzootic transmission in chickens, the viruses exclusively bind to Neu5Ac. The absence of Neu5Gc expression in gallinaceous poultry, particularly chickens, exerts selective pressure, shaping influenza virus populations, and promoting the acquisition of adaptive amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin protein of H7 influenza A viruses. This results in the loss of Neu5Gc binding and an increase in virus transmissibility in gallinaceous poultry, particularly chickens. Consequently, the transmission capability of these poultry-adapted H7 viruses in wild water birds decreases. Timely intervention, such as stamping out, may help reduce virus adaptation to domestic chicken populations and lower the risk of enzootic outbreaks, including those caused by influenza A viruses exhibiting high pathogenicity.