Vaccination is the most effective prophylactic method for preventing influenza. Quantification of influenza vaccine antigens is critically important before the vaccine is used for human immunization. Currently the vaccine antigen quantification relies on hemagglutinin content quantification, the key antigenic component, by single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) assay. Due to the inherent disadvan...

In this paper we undertake an analysis of the antigenicity of influenza A virus hemagglutinin. We developed a novel computational approach to the identification of antigenically active regions and showed that the amino acid substitutions between successive predominant seasonal strains form clusters that are consistent, in terms of both their location and their size, with the properties of B-cel...

While the specificity and timing of membrane fusion in diverse physiological reactions, including virus-cell fusion, is determined by proteins, fusion always involves the merger of membrane lipid bilayers. We have isolated a lipid-dependent stage of cell-cell fusion mediated by influenza hemagglutinin and triggered by cell exposure to mildly acidic pH. This stage preceded actual membrane merger...

This paper concerns the development of an immunosensor for detection of peptides derived from avian influenza hemagglutinin H5. Its preparation consists of successive gold electrode modification steps: (i) modification with 1,6-hexanedithiol and gold colloidal nanoparticles; (ii) immobilization of antibody-binding fragments (Fab') of anti-hemagglutinin H5 monoclonal antibodies Mab 6-9-1 via S-A...

UNLABELLED Zoonotic avian influenza virus infections may lead to epidemics or pandemics. The 1918 pandemic influenza virus has an avian influenza virus-like genome, and its H1 hemagglutinin was identified as a key mammalian virulence factor. A chimeric 1918 virus expressing a contemporary avian H1 hemagglutinin, however, displayed murine pathogenicity indistinguishable from that of the 1918 vir...

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterial species implicated as an important pathogen in the development of adult periodontitis. In our studies of P. gingivalis and ways to protect against periodontal disease, we have prepared the monoclonal antibody mAb-Pg-vc and its recombinant antibody, which are capable of inhibiting the hemagglutinating activity of P. gingivalis (Shib...

Little was known about bioactive compounds from the hallucinogenic mushroom Boletus speciosus. In the present study, a hemagglutinin (BSH, B. speciosus hemagglutinin) was isolated from its fruiting bodies and enzymatic properties were also tested. The chromatographic procedure utilized comprised anion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose, cation exchange chromatography on CM-Cellulose, cation...

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 is highly contagious among birds, causing high mortality among domestic poultry. The viral genome is contained on eight single RNA strands of which HA encode the antigenic glycoprotein called hemagglutinin. Hemagglutinin found on the surface of the influenza viruses and is responsible for binding the virus to the cell that is being infected. Among the most prevale...

Treatment of respiratory viral infections remains a global health concern, mainly due to the inefficacy available drugs. Therefore, discovery novel antiviral compounds is needed; in this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) like temporins hold great promise. Here, we discovered that harmless temporin G (TG) significantly inhibited early life-cycle phases influenza virus. The vitro hemagglutin...