H1N1 Solomon Islands

The H1N1 Influenza-A Virus Solomon Islands/03/06 Recombinant is a specific strain of the H1N1 subtype of the Influenza A virus. This strain was first identified in the Solomon Islands in 2006 and has since been used in various research and vaccine development efforts. The recombinant form of this virus is produced using advanced genetic engineering techniques to study its properties and develop effective vaccines.

The Influenza A virus is a globular particle approximately 100 nanometers in diameter, enveloped in a lipid bilayer derived from the host cell’s plasma membrane. Embedded in this lipid bilayer are two key integral membrane proteins: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The H1N1 subtype is characterized by the presence of the H1 hemagglutinin and N1 neuraminidase proteins .

The recombinant H1N1 A/Solomon Islands/03/06 virus is glycosylated with N-linked sugars and produced using baculovirus vectors in insect cells . This recombinant form allows for detailed studies of the virus’s properties, including its receptor binding specificity, pathogenicity, antigenicity, and immunogenicity.

Influenza viruses attach to host cells via a sialic acid moiety that is either alpha2-3 linked or alpha2-6 linked to galactose. The receptor binding specificity of the H1N1 A/Solomon Islands/03/06 virus has been shown to correlate with its pathogenicity, antigenicity, and immunogenicity in ferrets . Variations in the hemagglutinin protein, particularly at amino acid residues 190 and 226, significantly impact the virus’s ability to bind to these receptors and replicate in the respiratory tract .

Studies have demonstrated that a single amino acid change at residue 226 in the hemagglutinin protein can result in a complete loss of binding to alpha2-6 linked sialic acid and a corresponding loss of the virus’s ability to replicate in the lower respiratory tract of ferrets . This change also affects the virus’s antigenicity and immunogenicity, highlighting the importance of thoroughly assessing wild-type influenza viruses for their suitability as reference strains and for selecting the appropriate hemagglutinin antigen for vaccine production .

The recombinant H1N1 A/Solomon Islands/03/06 virus has been used in the development of vaccines due to its well-characterized properties and its ability to elicit a strong immune response. The virus is typically purified from the allantoic fluid of embryonated eggs and subjected to ultracentrifugation with a sucrose gradient to ensure high purity . This purified virus is then used to produce vaccines that can protect against H1N1 influenza infections.