Binding of influenza A virus to monosialoganglioside (GM₃) reconstituted in glucosylceramide and sphingomyelin membranes

The binding of influenza A virus to GM₃-containing monolayers at an air/water interface was quantitatively investigated by use of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). A QCM was horizontally attached to the monolayer from the air phase and the binding behavior of influenza virus was followed by the frequency changes of the QCM. GM₃ was reconstituted in the monolayer of sphingomyelin (SM) or glucosylceramide (GlcCer). When the mole fraction of GM₃ was below 30 mol%, the binding rate of the influenza A virus to the GM₃/GlcCer membrane was significantly faster than that to GM₃/SM membranes. When the mole fraction of GM₃ in SM was below 20 mol%, specific binding of influenza virus was not observed at all. Binding of the virus to the GM₃/GlcCer mixed membrane was inhibited by the addition of sialyllactose (Neu5Acα2-3Galβ1-4Glc). The virus binding was also visually observed by scanning electron microscopy. Viruses selectively bound to GM₃/GlcCer (20:80, by mol%) membrane, but not to GM₃/SM (20:80, by mol%) membrane. Furthermore, it was suggested that specific binding of influenza virus to the GM₃/GlcCer membrane induced the changes in morphology of virus. It was clearly demonstrated that binding of influenza virus to GM₃ was influenced by matrix lipids surrounding GM₃.