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Receptor-Binding Specificity of Influenza Viruses

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Glycovirology

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2556))

Abstract

Influenza A virus infection begins with the attachment of virus particles to sialic acid-containing receptors on the surface of host cells. This attachment is mediated by the viral surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA). Influenza A viruses have a wide host range, meaning they are able to infect many mammal and bird species. Influenza pandemics have been caused by viruses that contain genes from avian influenza viruses. Therefore, the infection of humans with avian influenza viruses, including avian H5Nx and H7Nx viruses, poses a huge threat to public health. These avian influenza viruses can transmit directly to humans from infected poultry, but do not spread easily among people, in part, due to differences in the receptor-binding specificities of human and avian influenza viruses. Therefore, conversion from avian- to human-type receptor-binding specificity is widely believed to be necessary for the efficient transmission of avian influenza viruses among humans. Accordingly, constant monitoring of the receptor-binding specificity of avian influenza viruses is important. In this chapter, we describe the protocol for assessing the receptor-binding specificity of influenza A viruses.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Susan Watson for scientific editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Virology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Masaki Imai, Kosuke Takada & Yoshihiro Kawaoka

  2. The Research Center for Global Viral Diseases, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

    Masaki Imai & Yoshihiro Kawaoka

  3. Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Yoshihiro Kawaoka

Authors
  1. Masaki Imai
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  2. Kosuke Takada
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  3. Yoshihiro Kawaoka
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoshihiro Kawaoka .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Shizuoka School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shizuoka, Japan

    Yasuo Suzuki

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Imai, M., Takada, K., Kawaoka, Y. (2022). Receptor-Binding Specificity of Influenza Viruses. In: Suzuki, Y. (eds) Glycovirology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2556. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2635-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2635-1_8

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2634-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2635-1

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