Passage in egg culture is a major cause of apparent positive selection in influenza B hemagglutinin.

摘要: Several studies have identified residues apparently under positive selection in influenza B virus hemagglutinin. Host immune evasion is the main mechanism proposed to exert this pressure. However, these reports not considered culture history of strains used calculate selection. This article shows that passage through egg a strong contributory factor strength and statistical significance on Non-synonymous mutations resulting loss N-glycosylation site at positions 197-199 hemagglutinin been positively selected far greater degree egg-cultured than other strains. Once are removed from analysis, found be weaker, less statistically significant, more diffusely localized along protein. Caution should therefore exercised both claims for existence hemagglutinin, attribution host as its cause. The major cause molecular adaptation proteins may well laboratory eggs rather natural hosts.