Kinetics of pH-dependent fusion between influenza virus and liposomes

The pH-dependent fusion between influenza virus and liposomes (large unilamellar vesicles) has been investigated as a model for the fusion step in the infectious entry of the virus into cells. Fusion was monitored continuously, with a fluorescence assay based on resonance energy transfer (RET) [Struck, D. K., Hoekstra, D., & Pagano, R. E. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 4093-4099], which allows an accurate quantitation of the fusion process. Evidence is presented indicating that the dilution of the RET probes from the liposomal bilayer into the viral membrane is not due to transfer of individual lipid molecules. The initial rate and final extent of the fusion reaction increase dramatically with decreasing pH, fusion being virtually complete within 1 min at pH 4.5-5.0. From experiments in which the ratio of virus to liposomes was varied, it is concluded that virus-liposome fusion products continue to fuse with liposomes, but not with virus. Fusion is most efficient with liposomes consisting of negatively charged phospholipids, while phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin are inhibitory. The reaction is completely blocked by an antiserum against the virus and inhibited by pretreatment of the virus with trypsin. The effect of proteolytic pretreatment at pH 7.4 is enhanced after preincubation of the virus at pH 5.0, consistent with the occurrence of a low pH induced, irreversible, conformational change in the viral fusion protein, the hemagglutinin (HA), exposing trypsin cleavage sites. When, after initiation of the fusion reaction at pH 5.0, the pH is readjusted to neutral, the process is arrested instantaneously, indicating that the low pH induced conformational change in the HA protein, in itself, is not sufficient to trigger fusion activity.