Simple and complex carbohydrates (glycans) have long been known to play major
metabolic, structural and physical roles in biological systems. Targeted microbial binding to …

Viral infections are initiated by attachment of the virus to host cell surface receptors,
including sialic acid-containing glycans. It is now possible to rapidly identify specific glycan …

The broad-spectrum antiviral drug Arbidol shows efficacy against influenza viruses by
targeting the hemagglutinin (HA) fusion machinery. However, the structural basis of the …

The recent emergence of the H7N9 avian influenza A virus and its ability to infect humans
emphasize the epidemic and pandemic potential of these viruses. Interspecies transmission …

Through annual epidemics and global pandemics, influenza A viruses (IAVs) remain a
significant threat to human health as the leading cause of severe respiratory disease. Within …

The 1918 H1N1 Spanish Influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in modern
history. Unlike more recent pandemics, most of the 1918 H1N1 virus' genome was derived …

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) occasionally cross the species barrier and adapt to novel host
species. This requires readjustment of the functional balance of the sialic acid receptor …

Influenza viruses need to use sialic acid receptors to invade host cells, and the α-2, 3 and α-
2, 6 sialic acids glycosidic bonds linking the terminal sialic acids are generally considered to …

The genetic predisposition to severe A (H1N1) 2009 (A [H1N1] pdm09) influenza was
evaluated in 409 patients, including 162 cases with severe infection and 247 controls with …

Highlights•Most mammalian virus families use cell-surface glycans as receptors.•Glycan
receptors are diverse in structure and distribution, giving rise to species and tissue …