The mutation network for the hemagglutinin gene from the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus

Abstract

A mutation network for the hemagglutinin gene (HA) of the novel type A (H1N1) influenza virus was constructed. Sequence homology analysis indicated that one HA sequence type from the viruses mainly isolated from Mexico was likely the original type in this epidemic. Based on the 658A and 1408T mutations in HA, the viruses evolving into this epidemic were divided into three categories, the Mexico, the transitional and the New York type. The three groups of viruses presented distinctive clustering features in their geographic distributions. © 2009 Science in China Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH.