Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of type B influenza virus neuraminidase complexed with antibody Fab fragments

Fab fragments from four different monoclonal antibodies have been complexed with influenza B virus neuraminidase (B/Lee/40) and the complexes have been crystallized. Three of the complex crystals are, so far, not suitable for X-ray diffraction studies, but the fourth (B/Lee/40 NA-B1Fab) forms large crystals which diffract X-rays to 3.0 A resolution. The crystals have a space group of F432, a = 441.21 A. Vm calculations show that the asymmetric unit contains two monomeric complexes.

[Immunologic analysis of the antigenic properties of neuraminidase from drift-variants of influenza virus B]

The antigenic features of neuraminidases of several drift variants of influenza B virus were studied by enzyme immunoassay using antiserum to influenza B/USSR/100/83 virus neuraminidase isolated by pronase. Studies using immunosorption and competitive solid-phase enzyme immunoassay showed the presence in the antineuraminidase serum of at least two antibody subpopulations capable to inhibiting the activity of the enzyme and interacting with neuraminidase antigenic determinants: one detecting the antigenic determinant common for B/100/83 and B/Lee/40 viruses, and the other characterizing the antigenic determinant inherent in neuraminidase of B/100/83 virus and enzymes of drift variants isolated in 1970-1986 and lacking in the enzyme of B/Lee/40 virus.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analyses of two neuraminidases from influenza B virus strains B/Hong Kong/8/73 and B/Lee/40

Crystals of neuraminidase heads from two different influenza B virus strains have been grown. Neuraminidase crystals of influenza B/Hong Kong/8/73 were grown from solutions of potassium phosphate. The crystals are tetragonal prisms, space group I422; the axes are a = 123 A and c = 165 A. Influenza B/Lee/40 neuraminidase crystals were grown from solutions of polyethylene glycol 4000. The crystals are tetragonal pyramids, space group P4(1)2(1)2 or its enantiomorph P4(3)2(1)2; the axes are a = 125 A and c = 282 A.

[Comparative study of the RNA-polymerase activity of non-pathogenic and pathogenic influenza viruses A and B]

Activity of RNA polymerase was studied in original non-pathogenic for mice viruses of influenza A and B (A/seal/Massachusetts 1/80, A/USSR 05/81, A/Philippines 2/82 and B/Singapore 227/79) and of their pathogenic derivatives. All the non-pathogenic viruses studied exhibited the low rate of transcriptase activity. Pathogenic derivatives of these strains exhibited higher activity of RNA polymerase, which was 1.5-3-fold higher as compared with the original strain. During passage of influenza viruses A and B in mice organism selection of the population appears to occur, which had the highest transcriptase activity.

Primary structure of the polymerase acidic (PA) gene of an influenza B virus (B/Sing/222/79)

A DNA copy of influenza B/Singapore/222/79 viral RNA segment 3 containing the gene coding for the polymerase acidic (PA) protein has been cloned in Escherichia coli plasmid pBR322, and its nucleotide sequence has been determined. The cDNA clone was incomplete and contained 1810 nucleotides (nt 396 to 2205). The remaining nucleotide sequence at both 5' and 3' ends of B PA gene was obtained by sequencing the viral RNA (minus sense) and messenger RNA (plus sense) using oligonucleotide primers. The influenza B PA gene contains 2304 nucleotides and codes for a protein of 725 amino acids with a molecular weight of 83,000. The predicted influenza B PA protein is less acidic than the influenza A PA protein. Computer alignment of the influenza B PA amino acid sequence with that of influenza A PA (A/PR/8/34) revealed an overall 38% direct homology which increases to 45% in the carboxyl terminus half of the protein. In addition, comparison of the secondary structural elements, hydropathy profile, and isofunctional amino acid changes between B PA and A PA proteins demonstrated a strong structural and possibly functional conservation between these two proteins. These data suggest that PA genes of influenza A and B viruses arose from a common ancestor gene.

[Analysis of the antigenic specificity of the neuraminidases of influenza B viruses isolated in different years]

The antigenic structure of neuraminidases of influenza B viruses isolated in 1940-1984 was studied. Lectin test has first been employed for analysis of influenza B virus neuraminidase. The antigenic composition of neuraminidases of these viruses was shown to be different. The strains isolated in the epidemic of 1983-1984 underwent further drift of the neuraminidase component and represent a heterogeneous group in this respect. The use of monospecific antiserum to purified neuraminidase helped specify antigenic relationships of this protein.

Effects of site-specific mutation on structure and activity of influenza virus B/Lee/40 neuraminidase

A cDNA copy of the neuraminidase (NA) gene of a high-growing reassortant influenza virus which has the hemagglutinin of B/Hong Kong/8/73 and the NA of B/Lee/40 was cloned into plasmid pUC 9 and subcloned into a late-replacement SV40 vector so that the NA gene could be expressed in eukaryotic cells. The expressed protein was antigenically and enzymatically active. To study structure-function relationships in the B/Lee NA, particularly in comparison to the known structure of influenza A (N2) NA, specific mutations were introduced using synthetic oligonucleotides. Mutation of an apparently unpaired cysteine residue to serine at position 251 had no effect on protein transport or folding as judged by cell-surface reactivity with monoclonal antibodies, and the NA retained enzyme activity, confirming that this Cys is not essential for correct folding of the polypeptide. Mutation of Trp 364 to Leu abolished detectable enzyme activity, while mutation of Thr 368 to Val reduced enzyme activity to less than 25% of wild-type levels. Neither mutation affected antigenic properties. Therefore it is likely that both these side chains extend into the NA active site pocket. The results of these experiments are in accord with similarities in the structure of the B/Lee NA compared with that of influenza A (N2) NA. Although there is about 70% amino acid sequence difference between influenza A and B NAs, residues in the active site are highly conserved. Our in vitro mutagenesis experiments help to confirm the tentative alignment of sequences and have identified conserved amino acid side chains involved in enzyme activity.

[Activity of virion RNA-polymerase in influenza A and B virus variants with different pathogenicities for mice]

RNA polymerase activities in parental strains of influenza A and B viruses nonpathogenic for mice and their pathogenic variants have been studied. The parental strains are A/seal/Massachusetts 1/80, A/USSR 05/81, A/Philippines 2/82, B/Singapore 222/79. The RNA polymerase activity has been also studied in recombinant strains obtained by crossing various parental strains, one of which is pathogenic for mice (AR/PR 8/34), and having different degrees of pathogenicity. The nonpathogenic viruses had low transcriptase activity. RNA polymerase activity in pathogenic variants is shown to be 1.5-3 times higher than that in the parental strains. All the recombinants, whatever their pathogenicity, had approximately the same transcriptase activities which were 1.5-2 times higher than those registered in parental nonpathogenic strains.

Enzymological heterogeneity of influenza B virus neuraminidase demonstrated by the fluorometric assay method

The neuraminidase activity of 26 strains of influenza B virus isolated from all over the world was investigated colorimetrically, using fetuin as a substrate, and fluorometrically, using 4-methylumbelliferyl(4-MU)-N-Ac-alpha-D-neuraminide as a substrate, with special reference to enzymological heterogeneity. The activity of influenza A viral neuraminidases and of a commercially available pure viral one was strongly inactivated by either ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or glycoletherdiaminetetraacetic acid, when measured by the fluorometric assay method, whereas that of influenza B ones was not at all. However, the viral neuraminidases of both influenza A and B viruses were found to be calcium ion-dependent by the colorimetric assay method. A difference in the catalytic rate between the two assay methods was observed with influenza B viral neuraminidase to a much greater extent as compared with that of influenza A. A difference in substrate specificity of these enzymes was demonstrated to be due to a difference in the degree of competitive inhibition by N-acetylneuraminic acid. These findings strongly suggest that enzymological heterogeneity in influenza B viral neuraminidase may be attributed to delicate structural differences, between the enzymes of influenza A and B viruses demonstratable only by the fluorometric neuraminidase assay method using 4-MU-N-Ac-alpha-D-neuraminide as a substrate.

Synthesis of adenylyl-(3'----5')-guanosine and some analogues as probes to explore the molecular mechanism of stimulation of influenza virus RNA polymerase

Influenza virus mRNA synthesis is primed by a capped oligonucleotide which is cleaved off from a cellular mRNA by a viral protein. The dinucleotide A3'p5'G can be used as a primer for the viral RNA polymerase mediated RNA synthesis in a cell-free system. Analogues of A3'p5'G have therefore been synthesized using the phosphotriester approach, and their priming ability for the influenza virus mRNA synthesis has been determined. An absence of the 2'-hydroxyl function in the guanosine residue in the dinucleotide, as in A3'p5'dG, drastically decreased its priming ability. Similarly, an alteration of the 3'----5' phosphate linkage to a 2'----5' phosphodiester linkage affected the priming ability quite severely. However a dinucleotide, with the 2'-hydroxyl function omitted in the adenosine moiety, as in dA3'p5'G, could still stimulate the mRNA synthesis. None of the modified dinucleotides inhibited A3'p5'G or globin mRNA primed influenza mRNA synthesis.