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Changing influenza virus neuraminidase into a receptor binding protein

2 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

The hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins of the influenza virus particle serve distinct functions during infection. The HA binds sialic acid-containing cellular receptors and mediates fusion of the viral and cell membranes, while the NA removes sialic acids from glycoproteins. Apparently this division of labor is not absolute: influenza viruses have been identified with …

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Influenza A viruses in bats

8 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

It is well known that aquatic birds are a major reservoir of influenza A viruses, and that pandemic human influenza virus strains of the past century derive viral genes from this pool. The recent discovery of two new influenza A viruses in bats suggests that this species may constitute another reservoir with even greater genetic …

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The neuraminidase of influenza virus

4 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

The influenza virus particle is made up of the viral RNA genome wrapped in a lipid membrane (illustrated). The membrane, or envelope, contains three different kinds of viral proteins. The hemagglutinin molecule (HA, blue) attaches to cell receptors and initiates the process of virus entry into cells. I have written about the HA and its …

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Virus-induced fever might change bacteria from commensal to pathogen

3 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

Neisseria meningitidis may cause septicemia (bacteria in the blood) and meningitis (infection of the membrane surrounding the brain), but the bacterium colonizes the nasopharynx in 10-20% of the human population without causing disease. Although understanding how the bacterium changes from a commensal to a pathogen has been elusive, an important property is believed to be the ability …

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World Polio Day

3 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

As a virologist who has worked on poliovirus since 1979, I would be remiss if I did not note that today, 24 October, is World Polio Day. World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against …

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Harald zur Hausen on human papillomaviruses

5 Comments / Basic virology, Information / By Vincent Racaniello

I interviewed Harald zur Hausen, MD., recipient of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in Manchester UK at the 2013 meeting of the Society for General Microbiology. We spoke about his career, his work leading to the discovery that human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 are causative agents of cervical cancer, and his …

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