Huang QJ, Kim R, Song K, Grigorieff N, Munro JB, S. Virion-associated influenza hemagglutinin clusters upon sialic acid binding visualized by cryoelectron tomography. PNAS 2025 Apr 22;122(16):e2426427122
Influenza viruses are enveloped, negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses covered in a dense layer of glycoproteins. Hemagglutinin (HA) accounts for 80 to 90% of influenza glycoprotein and plays a role in host cell binding and membrane fusion. While previous studies have characterized structures of purified receptor-free and receptor-bound HA, the effect of receptor binding on HA organization and structure on virions remains unknown. Here, we used cryoelectron tomography to visualize influenza virions bound to a sialic acid receptor mimic. Overall, receptor binding did not result in significant changes in viral morphology; however, we observed rearrangements of HA trimer organization and orientation. Compared to the even interglycoprotein spacing of unliganded HA trimers, receptor binding promotes HA trimer clustering and the formation of a triplet of trimers. Subtomogram averaging and refinement yielded 8 to 10 ? reconstructions that allowed us to visualize specific contacts between HAs from neighboring trimers and identify molecular features that mediate clustering. Taken together, we present structural evidence that receptor binding triggers clustering of HA trimers, revealing an additional layer of HA dynamics and plasticity.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- [preprint]Mass mortality at penguin mega-colonies due to avian cholera confounds H5N1 HPAIV surveillance in Antarctica 13 hours ago
- [preprint]How the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic Spread Across Switzerland - Spatial Patterns and Determinants of Incidence and Mortality 13 hours ago
- Influenza C Virus in Children With Acute Bronchiolitis and Febrile Seizures 17 hours ago
- Feasibility and Safety of Aerosolized Influenza Virus Challenge in Humans Using Two Modern Delivery Systems 17 hours ago
- Avian Influenza Weekly Update # 1026: 12 December 2025 1 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]


