Structure-function studies of the influenza virus RNA polymerase PA subunit  

作　　者：Mark BARTLAM 

机构地区：[1]College of Life Sciences and Tianjin State Laboratory of Protein Science, Nankai University

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2009年第5期450-458,共9页中国科学（生命科学英文版）

基　　金：Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30599432);National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2006 CB10901, 2006CB806503, 2007CB914301, 2006AA02A300 and 2007CB914304)

摘　　要：The influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is a heterotrimeric complex (PA, PB1 and PB2) with multiple enzymatic activities for catalyzing viral RNA transcription and replication. The roles of PB1 and PB2 have been clearly defined, but PA is less well understood. The critical role of the polymerase complex in the influenza virus life cycle and high sequence conservation suggest it should be a major target for therapeutic intervention. However, until very recently, functional studies and drug discovery targeting the influenza polymerase have been hampered by the lack of three-dimensional structural information. We will review the recent progress in the structure and function of the PA subunit of influenza polymerase, and discuss prospects for the development of anti-influenza therapeutics based on available structures.The influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is a heterotrimeric complex (PA, PB1 and PB2) with multiple enzymatic activities for catalyzing viral RNA transcription and replication. The roles of PB1 and PB2 have been clearly defined, but PA is less well understood. The critical role of the polymerase complex in the influenza virus life cycle and high sequence conservation suggest it should be a major target for therapeutic intervention. However, until very recently, functional studies and drug discovery targeting the influenza polymerase have been hampered by the lack of three-dimensional structural information. We will review the recent progress in the structure and function of the PA subunit of influenza polymerase, and discuss prospects for the development of anti-influenza therapeutics based on available structures.

关 键 词：INFLUENZA POLYMERASE PA SUBUNIT crystal structure ENDONUCLEASE PROTEIN-PROTEIN interaction 

分 类 号：R373[医药卫生—病原生物学]