H7N9 influenza viruses interact preferentially with α2,3-linked sialic acids and bind weakly to α2,6-linked sialic acids.
The recent human outbreak of H7N9 avian influenza A virus has caused worldwide concerns. Receptor binding specificity is critical for viral pathogenicity, and still not thoroughly studied for this emerging virus. Here, we evaluated the receptor specificity of the haemagglutinin (HA) of two human H7N9 isolates (A/Shanghai/1/13 and A/Anhui/1/13) through a solid-phase binding assay and a flow cytometry-based assay. In addition, we compared it with those from several HAs from human and avian influenza viruses. We observed that the HAs from the novel H7 isolates strongly interacted with α2,3-linked sialic acids. Importantly, they also showed low levels of binding to α2,6-linked sialic acids, but significantly higher than other avian H7s.
Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Irene
I
Ramos
Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Florian
F
Krammer
Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Rong
R
Hai
Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Domingo
D
Aguilera
Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Dabeiba
D
Bernal-Rubio
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, GA 30322, USA.
John
J
Steel
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.|Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.|Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Adolfo
A
García-Sastre
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.|Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10029, USA.
Ana
A
Fernandez-Sesma
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D002681:China; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D064766:Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000821:virology; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D056189:Viral Tropism
D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D012794:Sialic Acids