Reports on Influenza A Virus Subtype H1N1 Findings from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Provide New Insights (Natural variation in neuraminidase activity influences the evolutionary potential of the seasonal H1N1 lineage hemagglutinin).

A recent study conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has found that natural variation in the activity of the neuraminidase (NA) enzyme can influence the evolutionary potential of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein in the seasonal H1N1 influenza A virus. The researchers observed substantial variation in the activity of NA proteins in a panel of H1N1 vaccine strains isolated between 2009 and 2019. They also found that the specific antibody escape profiles of HA were highly dependent on the NA background. These findings suggest that natural variation in NA activity plays a significant role in shaping the evolution of HA in the currently circulating H1N1 lineage. [Extracted from the article]