#virology #influenzavirus #influenza
Influenza viruses are responsible for causing the flu, a common respiratory disease that affects millions of people every year. In this video, you will learn about the life cycle of these viruses, from the moment they enter the host cells until they exit and spread to new cells or hosts. You will see how these viruses use the host cell’s machinery to replicate their genetic material, which is composed of eight segments of RNA wrapped in proteins. You will also see how these viruses assemble new virus particles at the cell membrane, using viral proteins called hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Hemagglutinin helps the virus attach to the cell surface by binding to a sugar called sialic acid, while neuraminidase helps the virus detach from the cell surface by breaking the bond between hemagglutinin and sialic acid. You will also learn how the different types of influenza viruses prefer different types of sialic acid, which determines their host range and tissue tropism. For example, human influenza viruses prefer sialic acid linked to galactose by an alpha2,6 bond, while avian influenza viruses prefer sialic acid linked to galactose by an alpha2,3 bond. This video will help you understand the molecular mechanisms of influenza virus infection and the factors that influence its evolution and transmission.