Consortium of “consistent amino acid substitutions” on Influenza A
(H1N1) viral proteome emerged at specific stages of viral infection: A
big data analysis
Abstract
Influenza-A-virus (IAV) is one of the common threats to humankind since
1918. The viral proteome is frequently substituted leading to new
strains and recurrent pandemics. Despite knowing the effects of single
amino acid substitutions on individual viral proteins, effects of
collective substitutions on viral infection remain elusive. Here, we
addressed the question whether the “consistent amino substitutions”
occur in consortium on functional domains and protein-protein
interaction (PPI) sites, impacting overall viral infection and host
immune responses. By definition, “consistent substitutions” occur on
“all” the IAV strains isolated in a particular year. Big protein data
(563370 sequences and 9824 PPI) and bioinformatics techniques were
exploited to address this question. Total one-hundred-and-five
“consistent substitutions” were mapped on IAV proteome. Fifty of those
emerged on viral functional domains and PPIs, engaged in the specific
stages of IAV infection, namely, i) cell surface entry and exit, ii)
nuclear import, vRNP assembly and nuclear export and iii) antagonizing
immune responses. The study for the first time showed that consortium of
“consistent substitutions” emerged on protein functional domains and
PPIs, impacting specific stages of viral infection, rather than a single
protein, and presumably navigate viral escape from human immune
response.