Transmembrane Domain Length of Influenza a Virus M2 Does Not Determine Its Non-Lipid Raft Localization.

ABSTRACT: Influenza A virus expresses three envelope proteins, hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), and matrix protein 2 (M2). Of these, HA and NA associate with lipid rafts, whereas M2 remains in the peri-raft region. One reason for the lipid raft association of HA and NA is that they possess longer transmembrane domains (TMDs) (27 and 29 amino acids, respectively) than that of M2 (19 amino acids). Moreover, M2 localizes in the peri-raft region, despite the presence of some lipid raft-targeting features. Therefore, we introduced amino acid insertions into the N-terminal region of M2 to increase the TMD length to 22, 25, and 27 residues, and evaluated these M2-TMD mutants for their association with lipid rafts and impact on virus replication. Confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitation, and cell cyt

SUBMITTER: Manzoor R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846675 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature