Direct Visualization of the Conformational Dynamics of Single Influenza Hemagglutinin Trimers

Overview

Journal Cell

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2018 Jul 3

PMID 29961575

Citations 89

Authors

Dibyendu Kumar Das

Ramesh Govindan

Ivana Nikic-Spiegel

Florian Krammer

Edward A Lemke

James B Munro

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Influenza hemagglutinin (HA) is the canonical type I viral envelope glycoprotein and provides a template for the membrane-fusion mechanisms of numerous viruses. The current model of HA-mediated membrane fusion describes a static "spring-loaded" fusion domain (HA2) at neutral pH. Acidic pH triggers a singular irreversible conformational rearrangement in HA2 that fuses viral and cellular membranes. Here, using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET)-imaging, we directly visualized pH-triggered conformational changes of HA trimers on the viral surface. Our analyses reveal reversible exchange between the pre-fusion and two intermediate conformations of HA2. Acidification of pH and receptor binding shifts the dynamic equilibrium of HA2 in favor of forward progression along the membrane-fusion reaction coordinate. Interaction with the target membrane promotes irreversible transition of HA2 to the post-fusion state. The reversibility of HA2 conformation may protect against transition to the post-fusion state prior to arrival at the target membrane.

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