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Activation of the Sendai virus fusion protein by receptor binding

F Dallocchio1, M Tomasi, T Bellini

  • 1Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare Università di Ferrara, Italy.

Insights

2,3 Dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (DNANA) inhibits Sendai virus neuraminidase activity. Its effect depends on the Fusion (F) protein, suggesting F protein activation by substrate binding to Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN).

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Sendai virus utilizes Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) for viral entry and replication.
  • The Fusion (F) protein is crucial for viral membrane fusion.
  • HN and F protein interactions are key to Sendai virus pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the inhibitory effect of DNANA on HN neuraminidase activity.
  • To elucidate the role of the F protein in HN activity and viral hemolysin function.
  • To understand the mechanism of F protein activation by HN.

Main Methods:

  • Enzyme inhibition assays using DNANA and HN.
  • Hemolytic activity assays on erythrocytes.
  • Investigating the influence of F protein presence and activity on HN inhibition and hemolytic activation.

Main Results:

  • DNANA competitively inhibits HN neuraminidase with a Ki dependent on F protein activity (30-50 μM).
  • Desialyzation of erythrocytes abolishes Sendai virus hemolytic activity, but DNANA restores it dose-dependently.
  • Both HN and F proteins are essential for DNANA-induced hemolytic activity, with an affinity constant of 35 μM for DNANA.

Conclusions:

  • DNANA binding to HN, potentially with F protein interaction, induces a conformational change.
  • This conformational change activates the F protein, leading to increased hemolytic activity.
  • The findings suggest a novel mechanism for viral protein activation mediated by substrate interaction.

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