Influenza virus hemagglutinins differentiate between receptor determinants bearing N-acetyl-, N-glycollyl-, and N,O-diacetylneuraminic acids.

This report examines the ability of three sialic acids (SA), N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc), N-glycollylneuraminic acid (NeuGc), and 9-O-acetyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid (9-O-Ac-NeuAc), to serve as receptor determinants for 18 human and animal influenza type A viruses. Viruses were compared by agglutination of receptor-modified erythrocytes containing either the Sa alpha 2,6Gal or the SA alpha 2,3Gal linkages with each of the three sialic acids. Individual isolates differed markedly in their ability to agglutinate cells containing NeuAc, NeuGc, and 9-O-Ac-NeuAc. The results suggest that recognition of the various sialic acids is an important factor in analysis of the receptor specificity of influenza virus hemagglutinins.