Mutations within the 5'' nontranslated region of hepatitis A virus RNA which enhance replication in BS-C-1 cells.

Passage of human hepatitis A virus (HAV) in cell culture results in attenuation of the virus as well as progressive increases in the efficiency of virus replication in cell culture. Because the presence of identical mutations within the 5' nontranslated regions (5'NTRs) of several independently isolated cell culture-adapted HAV variants suggests that the 5'NTR may play a role in determining this change in virus host range, we constructed chimeric infectious cDNA clones in which portions of the 5'NTR of cell culture-adapted HM175/p35 virus were replaced with cDNA from either wild-type virus (HM175/wt) or a second independently isolated, but closely related cell culture-adapted virus (HM175/p16). Substitution of the complete 5'NTR of HM175/p35 with the 5'NTR of HM175/wt resulted in virus with very small replication foci in continuous African green monkey kidney (BS-C-1) cells, indicating that 5'NTR mutations in HM175/p35 virus are required for optimal growth in these cells. A chimera with the 5'NTR sequence of HM175/p16 retained the large foci of HM175/p35 virus, while the growth properties of other viruses having chimeric 5'NTR sequences indicated that mutations at bases 152 and/or 203 to 207 enhance replication in BS-C-1 cells. These findings were confirmed in one-step growth experiments, which also indicated that radioimmunofocus size is a valid measure of virus replication competence in cell culture. An additional mutation at base 687 of HM175/p16 had only a minor role in enhancing growth. In contrast to their effect in BS-C-1 cells, these 5'NTR mutations did not enhance replication in continuous fetal rhesus monkey kidney (FRhK-4) cells. Thus, mutations at bases 152 and/or 203 to 207 enhance the replication of HAV in a highly host cell-specific fashion.     

Identification of VP1/2A and 2C as virulence genes of hepatitis A virus and demonstration of genetic instability of 2C

Fourteen different chimeric virus genomes were constructed from two infectious cDNA clones encoding a virulent and an attenuated isolate, respectively, of the HM175 strain of hepatitis A virus. The ability of each recombinant virus to infect tamarins and to cause acute hepatitis was determined. Comparisons of the genotype and phenotype of each virus suggested that VP1/2A and 2C genes were responsible for virulence. The 2C gene derived from the attenuated parent virus was unstable, and one or more mutations arose in this gene during the first passage in tamarins.     

Antigenic structure of human hepatitis A virus defined by analysis of escape mutants selected against murine monoclonal antibodies.

We examined the antigenic structure of human hepatitis A virus (HAV) by characterizing a series of 21 murine monoclonal-antibody-resistant neutralization escape mutants derived from the HM175 virus strain. The escape phenotype of each mutant was associated with reduced antibody binding in radioimmunofocus assays. Neutralization escape mutations were identified at the Asp-70 and Gln-74 residues of the capsid protein VP3, as well as at Ser-102, Val-171, Ala-176, and Lys-221 of VP1. With the exception of the Lys-221 mutants, substantial cross-resistance was evident among escape mutants tested against a panel of 22 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, suggesting that the involved residues contribute to epitopes composing a single antigenic site. As mutations at one or more of these residues conferred resistance to 20 of 22 murine antibodies, this site appears to be immunodominant in the mouse. However, multiple mutants selected independently against any one monoclonal antibody had mutations at only one or, at the most, two amino acid residues within the capsid proteins, confirming that there are multiple epitopes within this antigenic site and suggesting that single-amino-acid residues contributing to these epitopes may play key roles in the binding of individual antibodies. A second, potentially independent antigenic site was identified by three escape mutants with different substitutions at Lys-221 of VP1. These mutants were resistant only to antibody H7C27, while H7C27 effectively neutralized all other escape mutants. These data support the existence of an immunodominant neutralization site in the antigenic structure of hepatitis A virus which involves residues of VP3 and VP1 and a second, potentially independent site involving residue 221 of VP1.     

Identification of a region of the poliovirus genome involved in persistent infection of HEp-2 cells.

Poliovirus mutants were selected during the persistent infection of human neuroblastoma cells. These viruses could establish secondary persistent infections in HEp-2 nonneural cells. We report the identification of a region of the genome of a persistent virus (S11) that was sufficient to confer to a recombinant virus the phenotype that causes persistent infection in HEp-2 cells. This region, between nucleotides 1148 and 3481, contained 11 missense mutations mapping exclusively in the genes of capsid proteins VP1 and VP2. Because recombinant viruses carrying only one of these two mutated genes were not able to cause persistent infection, it seems very probable that two or more mutations in these genes are required for expression of the phenotype that causes persistent infection.     

Large deletion mutations involving the first pyrimidine-rich tract of the 5' nontranslated RNA of human hepatitis A virus define two adjacent domains associated with distinct replication phenotypes.

The 5' nontranslated RNA (5'NTR) of the HM175 strain of human hepatitis A virus contains several pyrimidine-rich regions, the largest and most 5' of which (pY1) is an almost pure polypyrimidine tract located between nucleotides (nt) 99 and 138, which includes five tandem repeats of the sequence motif (U)UUCC(C). Previous modeling of the RNA secondary structure suggested that this region was likely to be single-stranded, but repetitive RNase V1 cleavage sites within these (U)UUCC(C) motifs indicated that pY1 possesses an ordered structure. To assess the role of this domain in replication of the virus, a series of large deletion mutations were created which involved the pY1 domain of an infectious cDNA clone. Deletion of 44 nt between nt 96 and 139, including the entire pY1 domain, did not reduce the capacity of the virus to replicate in BS-C-1 or FRhK-4 cells, as assessed by the size of replication foci in radioimmunofocus assays or by virus yields under one-step growth conditions. In contrast, viable virus could not be recovered from transfected RNAs in which the deletion was extended in a 5' direction by an additional 3 nt (delta 93-134), most likely because of the destabilization of a predicted stem-loop structure upstream of pY1. Deletion mutations extending in a 3' fashion to nt 140, 141, or 144 resulted in moderately (delta 96-140 and delta 96-141) or strongly (delta 99-144, delta 116-144, and delta 131-144) temperature-sensitive replication phenotypes. Although deletion of the pY1 domain did not by itself affect the replication phenotype of virus, the additional deletion of sequence elements within the pY1 domain (nt 99 to 130) substantially enhanced the temperature-sensitive phenotype of delta 131-144 virus. These data suggest that the (U)UUCC(C) motifs within the pY1 domain are conserved among wild-type viruses in order to serve a function required during infection in vivo but not in cell culture. In contrast, the single-stranded region located immediately downstream of pY1 (nt 140 to 144) is essential for efficient replication in cultured cells at physiological temperature. Viruses with deletion mutations involving nt 140 to 144 and viruses with large pY1 deletions but normal replication phenotypes in cell culture may have attenuation properties which could be exploited for vaccine development.     

Genomic heterogeneity among human and nonhuman strains of hepatitis A virus.

Cloned cDNA probes derived from the P1 and P2 regions of the genome of HM175 virus, a reference strain of human hepatitis A virus (HAV), failed to hybridize under standard stringency criteria with RNA from PA21 and PA33 viruses, two epizootiologically related HAV strains recovered from naturally infected New World owl monkeys. Hybridization of these probes to PA21 RNA was only evident under reduced stringency conditions. However, cDNA representing the 5' nontranslated region of the HM175 genome hybridized equally to HM175 and PA21 RNA under standard stringency conditions, while a probe derived from the 3' 1,400 bases of the genome yielded a reduced hybridization signal with PA21 RNA. In contrast, no differences could be discerned between HM175 virus and three other HAV strains of human origin (GR8, LV374, and MS1) in any region of the genome, unless increased stringency conditions were used. These results suggest that PA21 and PA33 are unique among HAV isolates and may represent a virus native to the owl monkey. Despite extremely poor homology within the P1 region, which encodes capsid polypeptides, monoclonal antibody analysis confirmed that the immunodominant neutralization epitopes of HAV were highly conserved between HM175 and PA21 viruses. Furthermore, experimental challenge of the owl monkey with successive PA33 and HM175 inocula confirmed a high but incomplete degree of cross-protection. Only one of six monkeys previously infected with PA33 developed recurrent hepatitis 28 days after intravenous HM175 challenge, while none of six monkeys previously infected with HM175 had demonstrable hepatitis following PA33 challenge. These data provide molecular evidence for the existence of HAV strains unique to nonhuman primate species and indicate that strict conservation of antigenic function may accompany substantial genetic divergence in HAV.     

Characterization of a simian hepatitis A virus (HAV): antigenic and genetic comparison with human HAV.

PA21, a strain of hepatitis A virus (HAV) recovered from a naturally infected captive owl monkey, is indistinguishable from human HAV in polyclonal radioimmunoassays and cross-neutralization studies. However, cDNA-RNA hybridization has suggested a significant difference at the genomic level between PA21 and a reference human virus, HM175. Further characterization of this unique HAV was undertaken in an effort to determine the extent of genetic divergence from human HAV and its relation to the conserved antigenic structure of the virus. The close similarity between PA21 and HM175 antigens was confirmed with an extended panel of 18 neutralizing murine monoclonal antibodies: a reproducible difference in binding to the two viruses was detected with only one antibody (B5-B3). The nucleotide sequence of the P1 region of the PA21 genome had only 83.2% identity with HM175 virus, a difference approximately twice as great as that found between any two human strains. Most nucleotide changes were in third base positions, and the amino acid sequences of the capsid proteins were largely conserved. Amino acid replacements were clustered in the carboxy terminus of VP1 and the amino-terminal regions of VP2 and VP1. These data indicate that PA21 virus represents a unique genotype of HAV and suggest the existence of an ecologically isolated niche for HAV among feral owl monkeys.     

Hepatitis A Virus Capsid Protein VP1 Has a Heterogeneous C Terminus

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) encodes a single polyprotein which is posttranslationally processed into the functional structural and nonstructural proteins. Only one protease, viral protease 3C, has been implicated in the nine protein scissions. Processing of the capsid protein precursor region generates a unique intermediate, PX (VP1-2A), which accumulates in infected cells and is assumed to serve as precursor to VP1 found in virions, although the details of this reaction have not been determined. Coexpression in transfected cells of a variety of P1 precursor proteins with viral protease 3C demonstrated efficient production of PX, as well as VP0 and VP3; however, no mature VP1 protein was detected. To identify the C-terminal amino acid residue of HAV VP1, we performed peptide sequence analysis by protease-catalyzed [18O]H2O incorporation followed by liquid chromatography ion-trap microspray tandem mass spectrometry of HAV VP1 isolated from purified virions. Two different cell culture-adapted isolates of HAV, strains HM175pE and HM175p35, were used for these analyses. VP1 preparations from both virus isolates contained heterogeneous C termini. The predominant C-terminal amino acid in both virus preparations was VP1-Ser274, which is located N terminal to a methionine residue in VP1-2A. In addition, the analysis of HM175pE recovered smaller amounts of amino acids VP1-Glu273 and VP1-Thr272. In the case of HM175p35, which contains valine at amino acid position VP1-273, VP1-Thr272 was found in addition to VP1-Ser274. The data suggest that HAV 3C is not the protease responsible for generation of the VP1 C terminus. We propose the involvement of host cell protease(s) in the production of HAV VP1.     

Identification of a single amino acid residue in the capsid protein VP1 of coxsackievirus B4 that determines the virulent phenotype.

To identify the molecular determinants of virulence for coxsackievirus B4, a panel of recombinant, chimeric viruses were constructed from cDNA clones of a virulent virus, CB4-V, and a nonvirulent virus, CB4-P. Initial studies mapped a major determinant of virulence to the 5' end of the viral genome, which contained the 5' untranslated and the P1 regions (A. Ramsingh, A. Hixson, B. Duceman, and J. Slack, J. Virol. 64:3078-3081, 1990). To determine whether the 5' untranslated region contributed to the virulent phenotype, a chimeric virus (vCB403) containing this region of the virulent virus on an avirulent background was tested in mice. The vCB403 construct displayed a phenotype similar to that of CB4-P, suggesting that the 5' untranslated region did not significantly contribute to virulence. Analysis of the sequence data of the P1 regions of both CB4-V and CB4-P revealed five mutations that resulted in amino acid substitutions in VP1, VP2, and VP4 (A. Ramsingh, H. Araki, S. Bryant, and A. Hixson, Virus Res. 23:281-292, 1992). Analysis of individual mutations in both VP1 and VP2 revealed that a single residue (Thr-129 of VP1) determined the virulent phenotype.     

Complete coding sequence and molecular analysis of hepatitis A virus from a chimpanzee with fulminant hepatitis

Background Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infects both humans and non‐human primates, in experimentally infected chimpanzees is typically milder than in humans. In 1982, Abe and Shikata reported a first case of a chimpanzee with fulminant hepatitis caused by spontaneous HAV infection, and the underlying mechanisms of the disease remain unknown. Methods To characterize denoted CFH‐HAV, we conducted cloning and near full‐length sequence analysis. Results Phylogenetic analyses of VP1‐2A and complete sequence comparison between various genotypes and the sample sequence showed clustering in genotype IB. Based on BLAST analysis, the sequence was most closely related to the wild‐type (HM175/WT) isolate. Amino acid and nucleic acid similarities were 99.8% and 94.41%, respectively. Conclusions The chimpanzee may have been infected with human HAV genotype IB. The substitutions in VP2, VP4, 2B, 2C, and 3D, which may enhance virus proliferation, contributed to disease severity culminating in fulminant hepatic failure.     

Molecular Characterization of a Nondemyelinating Variant of Daniel’s Strain of Theiler’s Virus Isolated from a Persistently Infected Glioma Cell Line

Wild-type Daniel’s strain of Theiler’s virus (wt-DA) induces a chronic demyelination in susceptible mice which is similar to multiple sclerosis. A variant of wt-DA (designated DA-P12) generated during the 12th passage of persistent infection of a G26-20 glioma cell line failed to persist and induce demyelination in SJL/J mice. To identify the determinants responsible for this change in phenotype, we sequenced the capsid coding sequence (nucleotides [nt] 2991 to 3994) and found three mutations in VP1: residues 99 (Gly to Ser), 100 (Gly to Asp), and 103 (Asn to Lys). To study the role of these mutations in neurovirulence and demyelination, we prepared a recombinant virus, DAP-1C-2A/DA, with replacement of wt-DA nt 2991 to 3994 with the corresponding region of DA-P12, and viruses with individual point mutations at VP1 residues 99(Ser), 100(Asp), and 103(Lys). DAP-1C-2A/DA and viruses with a mutation at VP1 residue 99 or 100 (but not 103) completely attenuated the ability of wt-DA to induce demyelination. Failure to induce demyelination was not due to a general failure in growth, since DA-P12 and other mutant viruses lysed L-2 cells in vitro as effectively as wt-DA. The change in disease phenotype was independent of the specific B- or T-cell immune recognition because a decrease in the neurovirulence of mutant viruses was observed in neonatal mice and immune-deficient RAG1 −/− mice. This difference in neurovirulence is not the complete explanation for the failure of DA-P12 to demyelinate, since virus with a mutation at residue 103(Lys) had decreased neurovirulence but did induce demyelination. Therefore, point mutation at VP1 residue 99 or 100 altered the ability of wt-DA to demyelinate, perhaps related to a disruption in interaction between virus and receptor on certain neural cells.     

Noncytopathic replication of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus replicons in Mammalian cells

Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) viruses are important, naturally emerging zoonotic viruses. They are significant human and equine pathogens which still pose a serious public health threat. Both VEE and EEE cause chronic infection in mosquitoes and persistent or chronic infection in mosquito-derived cell lines. In contrast, vertebrate hosts infected with either virus develop an acute infection with high-titer viremia and encephalitis, followed by host death or virus clearance by the immune system. Accordingly, EEE and VEE infection in vertebrate cell lines is highly cytopathic. To further understand the pathogenesis of alphaviruses on molecular and cellular levels, we designed EEE- and VEE-based replicons and investigated their replication and their ability to generate cytopathic effect (CPE) and to interfere with other viral infections. VEE and EEE replicons appeared to be less cytopathic than Sindbis virus-based constructs that we designed in our previous research and readily established persistent replication in BHK-21 cells. VEE replicons required additional mutations in the 5' untranslated region and nsP2 or nsP3 genes to further reduce cytopathicity and to become capable of persisting in cells with no defects in alpha/beta interferon production or signaling. The results indicated that alphaviruses strongly differ in virus-host cell interactions, and the ability to cause CPE in tissue culture does not necessarily correlate with pathogenesis and strongly depends on the sequence of viral nonstructural proteins.     

Production of cytopathology in FRhK-4 cells by BS-C-1-passaged hepatitis A virus

Cytopathic effects were produced in fetal rhesus monkey kidney (FRhK-4) cells 7 days postinfection by a serially BS-C-1-passaged strain of hepatitis A virus. Typical enterovirus cytopathology was produced by the HM-175 strain after 15 passages at 7-day intervals in BS-C-1 cells. No cytopathic effects were obtained after neutralization of virus with human anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G. Normal human serum had no effect on development of cytopathology. Maximum antigen and cDNA probe-based hybridization activity were associated with a CsCl gradient fraction having a density of 1.34 g/cm3. Large quantities of 27- to 30-nm virions typical of hepatitis A virus were associated with the same fraction. These data led to the conclusion that the observed cytopathology was caused by hepatitis A virus.     

Production of cytopathology in FRhK-4 cells by BS-C-1-passaged hepatitis A virus.

Cytopathic effects were produced in fetal rhesus monkey kidney (FRhK-4) cells 7 days postinfection by a serially BS-C-1-passaged strain of hepatitis A virus. Typical enterovirus cytopathology was produced by the HM-175 strain after 15 passages at 7-day intervals in BS-C-1 cells. No cytopathic effects were obtained after neutralization of virus with human anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G. Normal human serum had no effect on development of cytopathology. Maximum antigen and cDNA probe-based hybridization activity were associated with a CsCl gradient fraction having a density of 1.34 g/cm3. Large quantities of 27- to 30-nm virions typical of hepatitis A virus were associated with the same fraction. These data led to the conclusion that the observed cytopathology was caused by hepatitis A virus.     

Effect of polypurine tract (PPT) mutations on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication: a virus with a completely randomized PPT retains low infectivity

We introduced polypurine tract (PPT) mutations, which we had previously tested in an in vitro assay, into the viral clone NL4-3KFSdelta nef. Each mutant was tested for single-round infectivity and virion production. All of the PPT mutations had an effect on replication; however, mutation of the 5' end appeared to have less of an effect on infectivity than mutation of the 3' end of the PPT sequence. Curiously, a mutation in which the entire PPT sequence was randomized (PPTSUB) retained 12% of the infectivity of the wild type (WT) in a multinuclear activation of galactosidase indicator assay. Supernatants from these infections contained viral particles, as evidenced by the presence of p24 antigen. Two-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circle junction analysis following PPTSUB infection revealed that the mutant could form a high percentage of normal junctions. Quantification of the 2-LTR circles using real-time PCR revealed that number of 2-LTR circles from cells infected with the PPTSUB mutant was 3.5 logs greater than 2-LTR circles from cells infected with WT virus. To determine whether the progeny virions from a PPTSUB infection could undergo further rounds of replication, we introduced the PPTSUB mutation into a replication-competent virus. Our results show that the mutant virus is able to replicate and that the infectivity of the progeny virions increases with each passage, quickly reverting to a WT PPT sequence. Together, these experiments confirm that the 3' end of the PPT is important for plus-strand priming and that a virus that completely lacks a PPT can replicate at a low level.     

Identification of amino acid residues in BK virus VP1 that are critical for viability and growth

BK virus (BKV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that establishes a persistent infection in the urinary tract of 80% of the human population. Like other polyomaviruses, the major capsid protein of BKV, virion protein 1 (VP1), is critical for host cell receptor recognition and for proper virion assembly. BKV uses a carbohydrate complex containing alpha(2,3)-linked sialic acid attached to glycoprotein and glycolipid motifs as a cellular receptor. To determine the amino acids important for BKV binding to the sialic acid portion of the complex, we generated a series of 17 point mutations in VP1 and scored them for viral growth. The first set of mutants behaved identically to wild-type virus, suggesting that these amino acids were not critical for virus propagation. Another group of VP1 mutants rendered the virus nonviable. These mutations failed to protect viral DNA from DNase I digestion, indicating a role for these domains in capsid assembly and/or packaging of DNA. A third group of VP1 mutations packaged DNA similarly to the wild type but failed to propagate. The initial burst size of these mutations was similar to that of the wild type, indicating that there is no defect in the lytic release of the mutated virions. Binding experiments revealed that a subset of the BKV mutants were unable to attach to their host cells. These motifs are likely important for sialic acid recognition. We next mapped these mutations onto a model of BKV VP1 to provide atomic insight into the role of these sites in the binding of sialic acid to VP1.     

Parvovirus genome: nucleotide sequence of H-1 and mapping of its genes by hybrid-arrested translation.

The nucleotide sequence of the parvovirus H-1 has been determined by the chain-terminating method of Sanger. The sequence is 5,176 nucleotides long. Two large open reading frames (1 and 2) and two smaller open reading frames (3 and 4) of potential importance were identified in the plus-strand sequence. Promoter sequences are located at map positions 4 and 38 when map positions are expressed as percent of genome length from the 3' end of the virion minus strand. The locations for the genes for the parvovirus capsid proteins and a 76,000-dalton noncapsid protein (NCVP1) were mapped by hybrid-arrested translation. The gene for the capsid proteins VP1 and VP2' is located in the 5' half of the virus genome. The gene for NCVP1 is located in the 3' half of the viral DNA.     

Topographical rearrangements of visna virus envelope glycoprotein during antigenic drift.

Visna virus undergoes antigenic drift during persistent infection in sheep and thus eludes neutralizing antibodies directed against its major envelope glycoprotein, gp135. Antigenic variants contain point mutations in the 3' end of the genome, presumably within the envelope glycoprotein gene. To localize the changes in the viral proteins of antigenic mutants, we isolated 35 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the envelope glycoprotein gp135 or the major core protein p27 of visna virus. The MAbs defined five partially overlapping epitopes on gp135. We used the MAbs and polyclonal immune sera directed against visna virus, gp135, or p27 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to compare visna virus (strain 1514) with antigenic mutants (LV1-1 to LV1-6) previously isolated from a single sheep persistently infected with plaque-purified strain 1514. Polyclonal immune sera and anti-core p27 MAbs failed to distinguish antigenic differences among the viruses. By contrast, the anti-gp135 MAbs detected changes in all five epitopes of the envelope glycoprotein. Three gp135 epitopes, prominently exposed on strain 1514, were lost or obscured on the mutants; two covert gp135 epitopes, poorly exposed on strain 1514, were reciprocally revealed on the mutants. Even virus LV1-2, which is indistinguishable from parental strain 1514 by serum neutralization tests and which differs from it by only two unique oligonucleotides on RNase-T1 fingerprinting, displayed global changes in gp135. Our data suggest that visna virus variants may emerge more frequently during persistent infection than can be detected by serological tests involving the use of polyclonal immune sera, and the extent of phenotypic changes in their envelope glycoproteins may be greater than predicted by the small number of genetic changes previously observed. We suggest that topographical rearrangements in the three-dimensional structure of gp135 may magnify the primary amino acid sequence changes caused by point mutations in the env gene. This may complicate strategies to construct lentiviral vaccines by using the envelope glycoprotein.     

Modification of foot-and-mouth disease virus O1 Caseros after serial passages in the presence of antiviral polyclonal sera.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) shows a remarkable antigenic variability and, like other RNA viruses, presents a high rate of mutation. It has been proposed that selection exerted by antibodies of the host could play a major role in the rapid evolution of FMDV. The present work reports the selection of FMDV antibody-resistant (Nr) populations after serial passages of a cloned FMDV O1 Caseros strain on secondary monolayers of bovine kidney cells in the presence of subneutralizing antiviral polyclonal sera (APS). After a limited number of passages, i.e., 29, under selective pressure, the virus population showed the following characteristics: (i) increased resistance to neutralization by APS (Nr), (ii) altered electrophoretic mobility of its structural viral proteins (VP1), and (iii) alterations at the RNA nucleotide sequence that codes for the major antigenic site of VP1. These acquired characteristics were detected at passage 15 and remained unmodified throughout successive passages. These results document a rapid selection and fixation of specific mutations in response to immunological pressure. In addition, the findings that (i) mutations not related to APS selection were not detected and (ii) after 29 passages at a high multiplicity of infection without immunological pressure, the RNA sequence that codes for VP1 remained unmodified clearly demonstrated that FMDV O1 Caseros presents in vitro a remarkable unexpected genetic stability.