title: [Structure and function of influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP)].
abstract: Influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) is the major structural protein which interacts with the 8 segment RNAs, to make the panhandle structure of RNPs, nucleocapsids, together with 3 polymerase protein complex (PB2, PB1, and PA). The NP proteins (498 aminoacids, MW 56,000) self-polymerize to form the panhandle structure similarly as the nucleocapsids. The nucleocapsids ensure the base pairing RNA structure in the handle region corresponding to the complementary structure in the both ends of vRNAs. This handle structure is supposed to play roles in regulation of switch for transcription and replication, and encapsidation. The NP protein is one of the type-specific antigens distinguishing among influenza A, B, and C type, and a target of cross-reactive CTL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Immunology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosaka
mesh_terms: D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D009698:Nucleoproteins