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Genomic and antigenic properties of Newcastle Disease virus genotypes 2.XX1 and 2.VII from Egypt do not point to antigenic drift as a driving force of spread
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  • Mahmoud Naguib,
  • Dirk Höper,
  • Magdy El-Kady,
  • Manal Afify,
  • Ahmed Erfan,
  • Hassanein Abozeid ,
  • Wafaa Hassan,
  • Abdel-Satar A. Arafa,
  • Momtaz shahein,
  • Martin Beer,
  • Timm Harder,
  • Christian Grund
Mahmoud Naguib
Uppsala Universitet

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Dirk Höper
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute Federal Research Institute for Animal Health
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Magdy El-Kady
Beni Suef University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
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Manal Afify
Cairo University
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Ahmed Erfan
Animal Health Research Institute
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Hassanein Abozeid
Cairo University
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Wafaa Hassan
Animal Health Research Institute
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Abdel-Satar A. Arafa
Animal Health Research Institute
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Momtaz shahein
Animal Health Research Institute
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Martin Beer
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute Federal Research Institute for Animal Health
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Timm Harder
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute Federal Research Institute for Animal Health
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Christian Grund
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute Federal Research Institute for Animal Health
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Abstract

Newcastle disease (ND), caused by avian orthoavulavirus type-1 (NDV), is endemic in poultry in the Middle East causing continuing outbreaks in poultry populations despite efforts to vaccinate. In the past, genotype 2.XXI (former 2.VI) was present in poultry in Egypt but has been replaced by genotype 2.VII. We investigated whether virus evolution contributed to superseding, and focused on the antigenic sites within the Heamagglutinin-Neuramindase (HN) spike protein. Full length sequences of a NDV genotype 2.VII isolate currently circulating in Egypt was compared to a genotype 2.XXI isolate that was present as co-infection with vaccine type viruses (2.II) in an historical isolate of the year 2011. Amino acid differences in the HN glycoprotein for both 2.XXI and 2.VII viruses amounted to 11,7% and 11,9 % compared to LaSota vaccine type. However, mutations within the globular head (aa 126-570), bearing relevant antigenic sites, were underrepresented (aa divergence of 8,8% and 8,1 % compared to 22,4% and 25,6% within the fragment encompassing cytoplasmic tail, transmembrane part and stalk regions (aa 1-125) for genotypes 2.XXI and 2.VII, respectively. Nevertheless, reaction patterns of HN-specific monoclonal antibodies revealed differences between vaccine type viruses and genotype 2.XXI and 2.VII viruses for specific epitopes. Accordingly, compared to Egyptian vaccine type isolates and the LaSota vaccine reference strain, single aa substitutions in 6 of 10 described neutralizing epitopes were found within the attachment protein. However, the same alterations in neutralization sensitive epitopes were present in old genotype 2.XXI as well as in newly emerged genotype 2.VII isolates. In addition, isolates were indistinguishable by polyclonal chicken sera raised against different genotypes including vaccine viruses. These findings suggest, that factors other than antigenic differences within the HN-protein account for facilitating spread of genotype 2.VII while displacing genotype 2.XXI viruses in Egypt.
25 Nov 2020Submitted to Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
26 Nov 2020Submission Checks Completed
26 Nov 2020Assigned to Editor
03 Dec 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
16 Dec 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Dec 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Major
12 Apr 20211st Revision Received
12 Apr 2021Submission Checks Completed
12 Apr 2021Assigned to Editor
12 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Accept