A reverse genetic study of the adaptation of human enterovirus 71 to growth in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures

► CHO cell-adapted strains of HEV71 sub-genogroups B5 and C2 were isolated. ► HEV71 sub-genogroup C4 failed to adapt to CHO cells during serial passage. ► CHO cell-adapted HEV71 has amino acid mutation at position 149 of the VP2 gene. ► HEV71-C4 constructed to contain mutation VP2-K149 → I or M can grow in CHO cells.