Hemagglutinin (HA)

Neuraminidase (NA) and hemagglutinin (HA) are major membrane glycoproteins found on the surface of influenza virus. Hemagglutinin binds to the sialic acid-containing receptors on the surface of host cells during initial infection and at the end of an infectious cycle. Hemagglutinin also plays a major role in the determination of host range restriction and virulence. As a class I viral fusion protein, hemagglutinin is responsible for penetration of the virus into the cell cytoplasm by mediating the fusion of the membrane of the endocytosed virus particle with the endosomal membrane.