Neuraminidase

Neuraminidase is an influenza surface enzyme that cleaves terminal sialic acids from host glycans and newly formed virions, helping viral particles detach and spread.

Sialic acid: Sialic acids are a family of acidic sugars commonly found at the ends of cell-surface glycans. These terminal sugars are the substrates neuraminidase removes.
Oseltamivir: Oseltamivir is an antiviral drug that inhibits influenza neuraminidase after conversion to its active form. It blocks the enzyme’s active site and can limit release of infectious virions.
Glycosidic bond: A glycosidic bond is a covalent linkage joining a sugar to another molecule or sugar. Neuraminidase hydrolyzes the glycosidic linkage connecting terminal sialic acid to underlying sugars.
Influenza A virus: Influenza A virus is a segmented RNA virus that infects humans and many other animals and causes seasonal and pandemic flu. Its neuraminidase proteins define one of the major subtype designations used for influenza A.
Bacterial neuraminidase: Bacterial neuraminidases are enzymes that remove terminal sialic acids from glycoconjugates in bacterial or host environments. They share the same broad reaction but differ in organism, structure, and biological role.
Hemagglutinin: Hemagglutinin is an influenza surface glycoprotein that binds sialic acids on host cells. Its binding opposes neuraminidase cleavage, creating a functional balance during infection.
Zanamivir: Zanamivir is an inhaled antiviral drug that inhibits influenza neuraminidase. Its design mimics the transition state of sialic-acid cleavage.
Enzyme catalysis: Enzyme catalysis is the acceleration of chemical reactions by biological molecules that lower activation energy. Neuraminidase is a catalyst that speeds sialic-acid cleavage.
Influenza A virus subtype: An influenza A virus subtype is a classification based on the virus’s hemagglutinin and neuraminidase surface proteins. Neuraminidase gives the N component in subtype names such as H1N1.
Sialidase: A sialidase is an enzyme that cleaves terminal sialic acids from glycoconjugates. Neuraminidase is the conventional name for influenza’s sialidase.

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