title: Demonstrating the intrinsic ion channel activity of virally encoded proteins.
abstract: This review summarizes the types of evidence that can be invoked in order to demonstrate that a virally encoded protein possesses ion channel activity that is intrinsic to the life cycle of the virus. Ion channel activity has been proposed to be a key step in the life cycle of influenza virus, and the protein responsible for this activity has been proposed to be the M2 protein encoded by the virus. This review contrasts the evidence supporting the conclusion that the A/M2 protein of influenza A virus has intrinsic ion channel activity with the evidence that the 3AB protein encoded by the human rhinovirus possesses intrinsic ion channel activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Wayne State Medical School, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Marie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brown-Augsburger
authors.forename: Beverly A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: Michele C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions; D008954:Models, Biological; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D007477:Ions; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C031540:M-protein, influenza virus; C488937:M2 protein, Influenza A virus; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins