Viral Neuraminidase: Proteins and Enzymes

Neuraminidase (NA) and hemagglutinin (HA) are major membrane glycoproteins found on the surface of influenza virus. HA is a lectin that binds sialic acid on host cell membrane. Neuraminidase is a sialic acid hydrolase that specifically clips off terminally located sialic acid on host cell surface. The two proteins are essential for infectious cycle of influenza virus. During initial infection, an influenza virus will hold onto an epithelial cell through HA-sialic acid interaction. At the end of ...