Viral neuraminidase is a type of neuraminidase found on the surface of influenza viruses that enables the virus to be released from the host cell. Neuraminidases are enzymes that cleave sialic acid (also called neuraminic acid) groups from glycoproteins. Neuraminidase inhibitors are antiviral agents that inhibit influenza viral neuraminidase activity and are of major importance in the control of influenza. Viral neuraminidases are the members of the glycoside hydrolase family 34 CAZY GH_34 which comprises enzymes with only one known activity; sialidase or neuraminidase EC 3.2.1.18. Neuraminidases cleave the terminal sialic acid residues from carbohydrate chains in glycoproteins. Sialic acid is a negatively charged sugar associated with the protein and lipid portions of lipoproteins. To infect a host cell, the influenza virus attaches to the exterior cell surface using hemagglutinin, a molecule found on the surface of the virus that binds to sialic acid groups. Sialic acids are found on various glycoproteins at the host cell surface. The virus then moves from sialic acid group to sialic acid group until it finds the proper cell surface receptor. Neuraminadase enables this movement by cleaving sialic acid groups that hemagglutinin was attached to. After the virus has entered the cell and has replicated, new viral particles bud from the host cell membrane. Here you have a recent example of the neuraminidase crystal structure purified from influenza virus A H3N2 (PDB code: 7U4F)
#molecularart ... #virus ... #immolecular ... #infection ... #influenza ... #Neuraminidase ... #xray
Structure rendered with @proteinimaging and depicted with @corelphotopaint
#molecularart ... #virus ... #immolecular ... #infection ... #influenza ... #Neuraminidase ... #xray
Structure rendered with @proteinimaging and depicted with @corelphotopaint
