Human metapneumovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein (hMPV HN)

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a significant viral pathogen responsible for a high burden of respiratory disease, particularly in pediatric and geriatric populations (Van den Hoogen et al., 2001). A defining characteristic of hMPV, which distinguishes it from many other paramyxoviruses, is that it does not possess a hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein (ViralZone, SIB). The viral surface is instead characterized by the Fusion (F) protein, the Attachment (G) protein, and the Small Hydrophobic (SH) protein (Schildgen et al., 2011). The F protein is essential for viral entry and is the primary target for neutralizing antibodies, whereas the G protein facilitates initial cell surface binding but lacks the neuraminidase and hemagglutinating activities typical of HN proteins (Bi et al., 2007). Consequently, the Human metapneumovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein is a biologically non-existent entity for this virus, and therapeutic development for hMPV focuses on the F protein rather than an HN-like target.

Other names

hMPV HN proteinHemagglutinin-neuraminidase of hMPV

Not applicable; this protein is not encoded by the Human metapneumovirus genome.