Influenza is part of the Orthomyxoviridae viral family and has three subtypes A, B and C. All three subtypes infect humans, the most common subtypes causing infection are A and B. The common/seasonal flu are results of both A and B subtypes and the cause of 8,000 deaths on average per year in the UK. The previous influenza pandemics have been the result of the A subtype
(PHE, 2014, CDC, 2015, Webster et al, 2013).
The Influenza viruses are “filamentous enveloped particles” containing a segmented genome of single-stranded RNA of seven/eight segments. Influenza A and B contain eight segments and C, seven. All of this is enclosed in a nucleocapsid with antigens on the outside (Baron, 1996, Webster et al, 2013). Once infected with …show more content…
NP is a structural protein, its antigen distinguishes the different types of Influenza; A, B and C (Baron, 1996).
M and NS proteins are required for the final stage of infection, to release newly formed virions into the body. M proteins binds to the synthesised RNP which inhibits further transcription and exports the RNP from the nucleus into the cytoplasm (Cao et al, 2012, Gomez-Puertas et al, 2000). NS proteins facilitates the export of RNPs by producing nuclear export signals and binding with RNP to form a complex that can be exported (Paterson and Fodor, 2012).
M proteins also plays crucial role when the new virus buds off. It blocks the nuclear pores to stop re-entry of the newly formed RNAs and allows assembly of the new virus. M proteins can bind the phospholipid tail of the cell membrane with the viral envelope of the glycoproteins around the encapsidated RNA and bud off the host cell (Figure 1) (Gomez-Puertas et al, 2000, Cao et al,