Influenza B virus (Yamagata lineage) neuraminidase (NA)

Influenza B virus (Yamagata lineage) neuraminidase (NA) is a tetrameric type II transmembrane glycoprotein that functions as a sialidase, essential for the viral replication cycle (UniProt: P03474). It facilitates the release of progeny virions from the host cell surface by cleaving terminal sialic acid residues from both host cell receptors and viral hemagglutinin, thereby preventing viral aggregation and promoting spread (PubMed: 24503073). Additionally, NA aids in viral movement through the mucus layer of the respiratory tract by degrading sialic acid-containing mucins (PubMed: 11117584). As a primary target for antiviral therapy, neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) like oseltamivir and zanamivir bind to the highly conserved active site, effectively halting the infection's progression (DrugBank: DB00198). While the Yamagata lineage was a staple of quadrivalent influenza vaccines for decades, its apparent disappearance following the COVID-19 pandemic has led the WHO to recommend its exclusion from future vaccine compositions (WHO, 2024; PubMed: 38430156). This shift highlights the dynamic nature of influenza targets and the ongoing challenge of monitoring lineage-specific drug sensitivity and resistance.

Other names

B/Yamagata neuraminidaseInfluenza B neuraminidaseSialidaseExosialidaseNeuraminidase

Neuraminidase inhibition