Structural and composition of the N2 neuraminidase of influenza virus. Effect of carbohydrate content on the validity of molecular weight estimations

Effect of monoclonal anti-neuraminidase antibodies on the kinetic behavior of influenza virus neuraminidase

Neuraminidase from the recombinant influenza virus A/NWSHA-Tokyo/3/67NA HON2 has been shown to exhibit non-Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The multiphasic behaviour was demonstrated for both the isolated neuraminidase heads and for the intact virus. Interaction of the enzyme with two monoclonal anti-neuraminidase antibodies (WANA 1 and RANA 1), which recognize separate antigenic determinants on the molecule, resulted in hyperbolic kinetic behaviour. While both antibodies abolished the multiphasic kinetics of the enzymic reaction, only WANA 1 altered the Vmax and Km values, indicating that it may in some way inhibit the interaction of enzyme and substrate.

A comparison of two anti-neuraminidase monoclonal antibodies by complement activation

The specificities of two anti-neuraminidase monoclonal antibodies have been compared by their ability to fix complement. They were found to differ to some extent in their reactivity with a range of N2 influenza virus. Thus, as in the case of anti-hemagglutinin antibodies, anti-neuraminidase monoclonal antibodies are able to detect subtle structural changes in the vital antigen. Although both monoclonal antibodies fixed complement with intact virus, neither one fixed complement when complexed with isolated neuraminidase "heads".