title: Use of a sialic acid analogue to analyze the importance of the receptor-destroying enzyme for the interaction of influenza C virus with cells.
abstract: Influenza C virus uses 9-O-acetyl-N-acetylaneuraminic acid (9-O-acetyl-Neu5Ac) as a receptor determinant for attachment to cells. The virus contains an acetylesterase which releases acetyl residues from position C-9 of sialic acid thereby inactivating the receptors. A synthetic sialic acid analogue, 9-N-acetyl-Neu5Ac, was attached to cell surface glycoconjugates by purified sialyltransferase and analyzed for its ability to substitute the 9-O-acetylated sialic acid. Erythrocytes which have been modified to contain either 9-O-acetyl-Neu5Ac or 9-N-acetyl-Neu5Ac were agglutinated by influenza C virus to the same titer. However, in contrast to the 9-O-acetyl group the 9-N-acetyl residue is resistant to cleavage by the viral acetylesterase. This characteristic property (recognition as a receptor determinant by influenza C virus, but resistance against the action of the receptor-destroying enzyme) makes this synthetic analogue a valuable tool to analyze the role of the receptor-destroying enzyme for an influenza C virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Universität Marburg, FRG.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrler
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milks
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paulson
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brossmer
mesh_terms: D000115:Acetylesterase / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009982:Gammainfluenzavirus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D012794:Sialic Acids; C025676:9-O-acetyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid; D012799:Sialyltransferases; D000115:Acetylesterase; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase