title: Influenza virus proton channels.
abstract: The M2 ion channel proteins of influenza A and B viruses are essential to viral replication. The two ion channels share a common motif, HXXXW, that is responsible for proton selectivity and activation. The ion channel for the influenza A virus, but not influenza B virus, is inhibited by the antiviral drug amantadine and amantadine-resistant escape mutants form in treated influenza A patients. The studies reviewed suggest that an antiviral compound directed against the conserved motif would be more useful than amantadine in inhibiting viral replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3500, USA. larry-pinto@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lamb
mesh_terms: D009154:Mutation; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000737:chemistry*; D011522:Protons; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014779:Virus Replication; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C064964:BM2 polypeptide, influenza B virus; C488937:M2 protein, Influenza A virus; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins