title: Fusion of reconstituted influenza virus envelopes with liposomes mediated by streptavidin/biotin interactions.
abstract: Reconstituted influenza virus envelopes (virosomes) containing the viral hemagglutinin (HA) represent an efficient fusogenic cellular delivery system. By interaction of HA with its natural receptors, sialylated lipids (gangliosides) or proteins, virosomes bind to cells and, following endocytic uptake, deliver their contents to the cytosol through fusion from within acidic endosomes. Here, we show that binding to sialic acid is not necessary for fusion. In the presence of streptavidin, virosomes containing a biotinylated lipid fused with liposomes lacking sialic acid if these liposomes also had a biotinylated lipid in their membranes. Moreover, fusion characteristics corresponded well with fusion of virosomes with ganglioside-containing liposomes.
authors.affiliation: Groningen Utrecht Institute for Drug Exploration (GUIDE), Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. p.j.schoen@med.rug.nl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leserman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilschut
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001710:Biotin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000378:metabolism; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D019809:Streptavidin; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005732:Gangliosides; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D011721:Pyrenes; D012794:Sialic Acids; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D001710:Biotin; D019809:Streptavidin; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid