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Gene and DNA Sequence
Record information and status
Record ID
Date of creation
2008-07-21 15:51 UTC (mia.crager@cbd.int)
Date of last update
2012-08-02 20:45 UTC (dina.abdelhakim@cbd.int)
Date of publication

General information
Name of the gene or DNA sequence
Hemagglutinin gene
Category of DNA sequence
  • Protein coding sequence
Is the gene / DNA sequence is a synthetic molecule?
Donor organism
Donor organism
Influenza A virus - Influenza, Flu, Avian flu, Human flu, Swine influenza, Equine influenza, Bird flu
Characteristics of the protein coding sequence
Name of the protein expressed by the coding sequence
Hemagglutinin (HA)
Biological function
Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), a homotrimer of subunits with two polypeptide chains, HA, and HA2, mediates binding of the virus to sialic acid-containing cell-surface receptors, initiating endocytosis, and the subsequent fusion of the viral and endosomal membranes by an acid-induced conformational change. A domain formed by the HA, chain contains the receptor-binding site and a significant proportion of the antigenic epitopes. The HA2 chain anchors HA in the viral membrane and contains the fusion peptide, a stretch of negatively charged and hydrophobic residues beginning at the N-terminus that interacts with target.

HA, a major influenza surface glycoprotein, is translated as a single protein, HA0. For viral activation, HA0 (assembled as trimers) must be cleaved by a trypsin-like serine endoprotease at a specific site, normally coded for by a single basic amino acid (usually arginine) between the HA1 and HA2 domains of the protein. After cleavage, the two disulfide-bonded protein domains produce the mature form of the protein subunits as a prerequisite for the conformational change necessary for fusion and hence viral infectivity.
Related trait(s) or use(s) in biotechnology

Records referencing this document (11)
11record(s) found
Country's Decision or any other Communication4 records
Modified Organism5 records
Risk Assessment2 records