Influenza virus M2 protein ion channel activity helps to maintain pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus hemagglutinin fusion competence during transport to the cell surface.

ABSTRACT:

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The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) envelope protein mediates virus entry by first binding to cell surface receptors and then fusing viral and endosomal membranes during endocytosis. Cleavage of the HA precursor (HA0) into a surface receptor-binding subunit (HA1) and a fusion-inducing transmembrane subunit (HA2) by host cell enzymes primes HA for fusion competence by repositioning the fusion peptide to the newly created N terminus of HA2. We previously reported that the influenza virus M2 protein enhances pandemic 2009 influenza A virus [(H1N1)pdm09] HA-pseudovirus infectivity, but the mechanism was unclear. In this study, using cell-cell fusion and HA-pseudovirus infectivity assays, we found that the ion channel function of M2 was required for enhancement of HA fusio

SUBMITTER: Alvarado-Facundo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4338904 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature