Influenza Viruses Expressing Chimeric Hemagglutinins: Globular Head and Stalk Domains Derived from Different Subtypes

• Published in: Journal of Virology Vol. 86; no. 10; pp. 5774 - 5781
• Main Authors: Hai, Rong, Krammer, Florian, Tan, Gene S, Pica, Natalie, Eggink, Dirk, Maamary, Jad, Margine, Irina, Albrecht, Randy A, Palese, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01-05-2012
• Subjects: antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; antibody formation; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Line; Chimera - classification; Chimera - genetics; Chimera - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus - chemistry; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus - genetics; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus - immunology; hemagglutinins; Humans; Influenza A virus; Influenza A virus - chemistry; Influenza A virus - classification; Influenza A virus - genetics; Influenza A virus - immunology; Influenza virus; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - virology; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular Sequence Data; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Recombination, Genetic; Structure and Assembly; Virology; viruses; Infection; Hemagglutinin; Subtype; Viral disease; Influenza
• ISSN: 0022-538X; 1098-5514
• DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00137-12

The influenza virus hemagglutinin molecule possesses a globular head domain that mediates receptor binding and a stalk domain at the membrane-proximal region. We generated functional influenza viruses expressing chimeric hemagglutinins encompassing a variety of globular head and stalk combinations, not only from different hemagglutinin subtypes but also from different hemagglutinin phylogenetic groups. These chimeric recombinant viruses possess growth properties similar to those of wild-type influenza viruses and can be used as reagents to measure domain-specific antibodies in virological and immunological assays.