Summary
Members of the Hong Kong influenza subtype were analysed for cell-receptor binding activity. This was done by a periodate sensitivity test, involving treatment of fowl erythrocytes with varying concentrations of potassium periodate, before their use in a virus haemagglutination assay. Three classes of receptor binding activity were clearly separated by this test. A ‘standard’ group comprised early members of the Hong Kong subtype. Two variant groups included later epidemic strains and some lateral terminal strains. Departures from the standard group were correlated with particular amino acid substitutions in the area of the haemagglutinin close to the proposed cell-receptor pocket. In particular, HA1 residue 226 was directly implicated. These amino acid changes were also detectable immunologically. The biological significance of this correlation is discussed. The periodate test is reproducible and could prove to be a useful tool in identifying particular residues in the haemagglutinin molecule which influence binding to the cellular receptor.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Both, G. W., Sleigh, M. J.: Complete nucleotide sequence of the haemagglutinin gene from a human influenza virus of the Hong Kong subtype. Nucleic Acids Res.8, 2561–2575 (1980).
Both, G. W., Sleigh, M. J., Bender, V. J., Moss, B. A.: A comparison of antigenic variation in Hong Kong influenza virus haemagglutinins at the nucleic acid level. In:Laver, W. G., Air, G. M. (eds.), Structure and Variation in Influenza Virus, 81–89. New York: Elsevier 1980.
Both, G. W., Sleigh, M. J., Cox, N. J., Kendal, A. P.: Antigenic drift in H 3 influenza haemagglutinin from 1968–1980: multiple evolutionary pathways and sequential amino acid changes at key antigenic site. J. Virol.48, 52–60 (1983).
Both, G. W., Shi, D. H., Kilbourne, E. D.: The haemagglutinin of swine influenza virus: a single amino acid change pleiotropically affects viral antigenicity and replication. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.80, 6996–7000 (1983).
Caton, A. J., Brownlee, G. G., Yewdell, J. W., Gerhard, W.: The antigenic structure of the influenza virus A/PR/8/34 haemagglutinin (H 1 subtype). Cell31, 417–427 (1982).
Fazekas de St. Groth, S., Hannoun, C.: Sélection par pression immunologique de mutants dominants du virus de la grippe A (Hong Kong). Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des SciencesD 276, 1917–1920 (1973).
Fazekas de St. Groth, S.: Modification of virus receptors by metaperiodate. 1. The properties of IO4 treated red-cells. Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med.27, 65–81 (1949).
Laver, W. G., Air, G. M., Webster, R. G., Gerhard, W., Ward, C. W., Dopheide, T. A. A.: Antigenic drift in Type A influenza virus: sequence differences in the haemagglutinin of Hong Kong (H3N2) variants selected with monoclonal hybridoma antibodies. Virology98, 226–237 (1979).
Naeve, C. W., Webster, R. G., Hinshaw, V. S.: Phenotypic variation in influenza virus reassortants with identical gene constellations. Virology128, 331–340 (1983).
Naeve, C. W., Hinshaw, V. S., Webster, R. G.: Mutations in the haemagglutinin receptor-binding site can change the biological properties of an influenza virus. J. Virol.51, 567–569 (1984).
Rogers, G. N., Paulson, J. C., Daniels, R. S., Skehel, J. J., Wilson, I. A., Wiley, D. C.: Single amino acid substitutions in influenza haemagglutinin change receptor binding specificity. Nature (London)304, 76–78 (1983).
Sleigh, M. J., Both, G. W., Underwood, P. A., Bender, V. J.: Antigenic drift in the haemagglutinin of the Hong Kong influenza subtype: correlation of amino acid changes with alterations in viral antigenicity. J. Virol.37, 845–853 (1981).
Underwood, P. A.: Mapping of antigenic changes in the haemagglutinin of Hong Kong influenza (H 3 N 2) strains using a large panel of monoclonal antibodies. J. gen. Virol.62, 153–169 (1982).
Underwood, P. A.: An antigenic map of the haemagglutinin of the influenza Hong Kong subtype (H 3 N 2), constructed using mouse monoclonal antibodies. Molec. Immun.21, 663–671 (1984).
Verhoeyen, M., Fang, R., Min Jou, W., Devos, R., Huylebroeck, D., Samas, E., Fiers, W.: Antigenic drift between the haemagglutinin of the Hong Kong influenza strains A/Aichi/2/68 and A/Victoria/3/75. Nature (London)286, 771–776 (1980).
Webster, R. G., Laver, W. G.: Determination of the number of non-overlapping antigenic areas on Hong Kong (H 3 N 2) influenza virus haemagglutinin with monoclonal antibodies and the selection of variants with potential epidemiological significance. Virology104, 139–148 (1980).
Wiley, D. C., Wilson, I. A., Skehel, J. J.: Structural identification of the antibody binding sites of Hong Kong influenza haemagglutinin and their involvement in antigenic variations. Nature289, 373–378 (1981).
Wilson, I. A., Shekel, J. J., Wiley, D. C.: Structure of the haemagglutinin membrane glycoprotein of influenza virus 3Å resolution. Nature289, 366–373 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With 1 Figure
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Underwood, P.A. Receptor binding characteristics of strains of the influenza Hong Kong subtype, using a periodate sensitivity test. Archives of Virology 84, 53–61 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01310553
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01310553