The glycoprotein of influenza C virus is the haemagglutinin, esterase and fusion factor.

Abstract

Of the biological activities of influenza C virus, haemagglutination, receptor inactivation and fusion, only the latter has been conclusively correlated with its surface glycoprotein (gp). We have purified the gp by octylglucoside treatment of influenza C virions followed by centrifugation into a sucrose gradient. Evidence was obtained that gp also represents the receptor-destroying enzyme of influenza C virus, which has been characterized as a neuraminate 9-O-acetylesterase: (i) it inactivated the receptors for influenza C virus on chicken erythrocytes; (ii) it had acetylesterase activity as indicated by the release of acetate from bovine submandibulary mucin; (iii) monoclonal antibodies directed against gp inhibited the acetylesterase activity of influenza C virus. Although purified gp was unable to agglutinate chicken red blood cells, it blocked haemagglutination by viruses. This finding as well as the haemagglutination inhibition activity of monoclonal anti-gp antibodies indicate that gp is also responsible for the haemagglutinating activity of influenza C virus. Thus, as the influenza C glycoprotein is the only myxovirus glycoprotein with three different activities, we propose the designation HEF in order to describe its function as a haemagglutinin (H), an esterase (E) and a fusion factor (F).

• Authors: G Herrler, I Dürkop, H Becht, H D Klenk
• Journal: The Journal of general virology (J Gen Virol) Vol. 69 ( Pt 4) Pg. 839-46 (Apr 1988) ISSN: 0022-1317 [Print] England
• PMID: 3356980 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Glycoproteins
• Hemagglutinins, Viral
• Receptors, Virus
• Viral Fusion Proteins
• Viral Proteins
• Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases
• Acetylesterase
• sialate O-acetylesterase

Topics

• Acetylesterase
• Animals
• Antibodies, Viral (immunology)
• Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Chickens
• Erythrocytes
• Glycoproteins (immunology, isolation & purification, physiology)
• Hemagglutinins, Viral (isolation & purification)
• Influenzavirus C (analysis, immunology)
• Orthomyxoviridae (analysis)
• Receptors, Virus (drug effects)
• Viral Fusion Proteins (isolation & purification)
• Viral Proteins (immunology, isolation & purification, physiology)