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Slik ser et influensavirus ut

Notater:

Influenza virus particles are spherical or ovoid in shape and consist of eight separate sections of single-stranded RNA (influenza C has 7 RNA segments), which are associated with polymerase complexes. The RNA/polymerase combination is surrounded by nucleoprotein and termed ribonucleoprotein, which in turn is surrounded by a lipid membrane that has a protein shell on the inner surface.1
The membrane envelope contains three important proteins: two spike glycoproteins (haemagglutinin and neuraminidase) and a membrane-spanning ion channel (M2 protein for influenza A, NB protein for influenza B). Approximately 80% of the spikes are haemagglutinin, which is involved in the attachment of the influenza virus to the host cell and triggers internalisation. The remaining 20% of spikes consist of neuraminidase, which facilitates release of newly produced virus particles from the host cell.2

1. Ruigrok. In: Textbook of Influenza (1998), pp. 29–42.
2. Laver et al. Sci Am 1999;380:78–87.