Mechanism of emergence of new influenza viruses and their control

我们研究了H5N1禽流感病毒传播给人类的机制。我们确定了几个氨基酸，支持有效的禽流感病毒在哺乳动物中复制，并确定了禽流感病毒型受体在人类气道中的分布。2009年，在该项目期间，发生了流感大流行。因此，我们分析了2009年H1N1和H5N1病毒耐药大流行的机制。我们获得的数据对于在临床环境中正确使用流感药物至关重要。我们还分析了流感病毒基因组的包装机制，并阐明了后代病毒粒子内核糖核蛋白复合物的三维结构。从这些研究中获得的信息不仅对预防未来的大流行至关重要，而且对制定防治季节性流感和大流行性流感的新战略也至关重要。

We studied the mechanisms by which H5N1 avian influenza viruses are transmitted to humans. We identified several amino acids that support efficient avian virus replication in mammals, and determined the distribution of avian-type receptors in the human airway. In 2009, during the term of this project, an influenza pandemic occurred. We therefore analyzed the mechanisms of the emergence of drug-resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and H5N1 viruses. The data we obtained were and continue to be critical to the proper usage of influenza drugs in the clinical setting. We also analyzed the packaging mechanism of the influenza viral genome, and elucidated the three-dimensional structure of ribonucleoprotein complexes within progeny virions. The information obtained from these studies is critical for not only the prevention of future pandemics but also the development of new strategies to combat seasonal and pandemic influenza.