Evolutionary Variation in H5N1 Adaptation to Bovine Cells
bioRxiv | 2025
4 October, 2025
A study published in bioRxiv investigated whether H5N1 viruses generally possess the capacity to adapt to bovine cells or whether this ability is restricted to specific clades and genotypes. Using recombinant viruses, the researchers demonstrated that bovine H5N1 genotypes (B3.13 and D1.1) replicate more efficiently in bovine cells compared with earlier avian strains. Adaptation to bovine cells is not universal but confined to certain H5N1 genotypes.
This adaptation is strongly determined by the internal gene constellation, particularly PB2 mutations, and by an enhanced capacity to suppress interferon responses.
