The polypeptide composition of influenza A viruses

Comparative studies of wild-type and "cold-mutant" (temperature-sensitive) influenza viruses: polypeptide synthesis by an Asian (H2N2) strain and its cold-adapted variant

The structure and replication of a cold-adapted, temperature-sensitive (TS) mutant of an Asian (H2N2) influenza virus was compared with that of its wild-type (WT) parent. Viruses were grown in a chicken kidney cell system, and at the nonpermissive temperature of 40 C, production of infectious TS virus was about 100,000-fold less than at 35 C, in contrast to WT virus. Major structural polypeptides of each virus grown at 35 C were similar, except that the hemagglutinin glycopolypeptide (HA) of the TS virions was slightly more heterogenous than that of WT virions. Synthesis of viral polypeptides was examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis of pulse-labeled infected cells. This revealed a defect in the synthesis of TS viral hemagglutinin that was most pronounced at the nonpermissive temperature. Other TS viral polypeptides appeared to be synthesized normally at 40 C. A defect in the TS virus hemagglutinin was also indicated by serological studies that demonstrated that TS virus hemagglutinin had lost antigenic sites present on the WT virus. Thus, it is concluded that the virus mutant examined contains lesions in the hemagglutinin gene, although the possibility of additional unrecognized lesions is not excluded.

Characterization of influenza virus neuraminidases: peptide changes associated with antigenic divergence between early and late N2 neuraminidases

Neuraminidases (EC 3.2.1.18) of 1957, 1960, and 1969 influenza virus strains were isolated after proteolytic digestion of viral hemagglutinin. Each neuraminidase was recovered with a final yield of about 15% and had similar specific activities. Immunization of rabbits with the neuraminidases elicited monospecific neuraminidase antibodies, with no antibodies to viral hemagglutinin. Further evidence of purity was the existence of only a single component, about 50,000 daltons in size, when reduced neuraminidase preparations were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, storage of neuraminidase in solution resulted in the appearance of slightly smaller degradation products. Preparations of each neuraminidase were denatured under reducing conditions, and exposed sulfhydryl residues were blocked by reaction with (14)C-iodoacetamide. After tryptic digestion, peptide maps were prepared for the neuraminidases, and the (14)C-labeled cysteinyl peptides were then identified by autoradiography. About 20 peptides were present, in agreement with the number predicted from amino acid analysis for neuraminidase subunits of only one type. The 1957 and 1960 neuraminidases exhibited a small antigenic divergence from each other, and maps of their cysteinyl peptides appeared to be identical. The 1969 neuraminidase exhibited considerable antigenic divergence from the other two neuraminidases, and maps of 1969 neuraminidase peptides revealed two major and several minor differences from the other maps. Thus, antigenic divergence between the neuraminidases of Asian and Hong Kong influenza viruses is associated with a small number of changes in the primary structure of the neuraminidase subunit.

Polypeptide composition of Influenza B viruses and enzymes associated with the purified virus particles

Influenza B/LEE/40, B/Rome/1/67, B/Hong Kong/8/73, and B/Victoria/98926/70 viruses have a similar polypeptide composition as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These viruses are composed of six or seven polypeptides, depending on whether one or two high-molecular-weight polypeptides are resolved, ranging in molecular weights from 27,000 to 90,400. Three of these polypeptides, namely the heavy and light hemagglutinin chains and the neuraminidase, have attached carbohydrate. Highly purified influenza B/LEE/40 and B/Rome/1/67 virus preparations have RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity equivalent to the incorporation of 100 and 30 pmol, respectively, of (3)H-UMP per mg of virus protein per h at 37 C, which is demonstrated only in detergent-treated virus suspensions. However, no RNA-dependent DNA polymerase enzyme activity was detected in the two viruses although virus suspensions were "activated" by heat, alpha-chymotrypsin, and detergents. Other enzymatic activities were associated with purified preparations of influenza B virus and were attributed to minor contamination of virus with host cell enzymes. Thus, nucleoside and deoxynucleoside phosphohydrolase enzymes were active in the absence of detergents and catalyzed the release of 1,200 and 1,800 nmol of P(i) per mg of virus protein in 30 min at 37 C from ATP and dATP substrates. Thin-layer chromatography indicated that the products of the phosphohydrolase enzymes of influenza B/LEE/40 were mainly nucleoside diphosphate and monophosphate. The latter enzymes were tightly bound to influenza B/LEE/40 virus and could not be removed completely by repeated centrifugation, including centrifugation of the virus to equilibrium in density gradients of 25 to 40% (wt/vol) cesium chloride. A low degree of RNase (approximately 0.01 mug% contamination) and phosphatase (10-30 nmol of P(i) released per mg of virus protein per 30 min) activity was detected in some, but not all, influenza B/LEE/40 virus preparations.

Lipids in Viruses

This chapter discusses lipids in viruses. Lipid forms an integral part of many viruses and exists either in the form of a continuous envelope or in lipoprotein complexes that surround a nucleoprotein core or helix. In general, the envelope can be described as a molecular container for the genetic material of the virus. Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and are not known to carry genetic coding for enzymes involved in lipid synthesis. Hence, they generally contain the same classes of lipid as are found in the host cell or their membrane of assembly. Lipids make up 20–35% by weight of most viruses; however, there are exceptions such as vaccinia virus, which has only 5% lipid despite having a complex multimembrane envelope structure. Naked herpesvirus capsids closely resemble non-lipid-containing viruses such as adenovirus or polyoma virus, which are also assembled in the nucleus but show full infectivity without any envelope. Both naked and enveloped herpesvirus particles are found in infected cells; however, only enveloped particles are found in extracellular fluids.

Transcription of the influenza ribonucleic acid genome by a virion polymerase. 3. Completeness of the transcription process

The virion ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase of influenza strain A(0)/WS transcribed at least 81% of the viral genome in vitro. The polymerase is shown to be associated with each of the major size classes of the virion RNA-ribonucleoprotein complexes. Under optimal in vitro conditions, at least 45% of the RNA contained in a population of influenza virions was involved in a repetitive transcription process. The detectable proteins associated with enzymatically active complexes containing RNA, ribonucleoprotein, and polymerase have been identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.