UK researchers have determined the X-ray structure of a key protein of the avian influenza virus that reveals a peculiarity that might prove the Achilles’ heel of bird flu and allow new potent drugs against the disease that could stave off a flu pandemic.
H5N1 virus is named for the particular haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) proteins that are found on the viral coat. Haemagglutinin allows the viral particles to bind to and infect host cells, while neuraminidase helps the virus to escape infected cells and attack new ones. There are 16 H’s and 9 N’s in known variants on the influenza type A virus.
It is the neuraminidases that are the target for drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). The trouble is, N1 is not the exact target for which they were designed. Rather the design of these drugs was based on neuraminidases N2 and N9 found in other influenza type A strains. H5N1 itself resides in a genetically distinct group. Structural information from this group could be critical to producing drugs that are resistant to emerging resistance in influenza.
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