Influenza viral (A/WSN/33) hemagglutinin is expressed and glycosylated in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Recombinant plasmids were constructed in which genes coding for either the entire or the signal-minus (amino acid residues 2-17 deleted) hemagglutinin (HA) of WSN influenza virus were placed under the control of the alcohol dehydrogenase I gene promoter of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both recombinant plasmids were shown to direct the synthesis of HA-specific polypeptides that were detected by immunoprecipitation with antiviral antibodies. The complete HA produced in yeast had an approximate Mr of 70,000 and was glycosylated, as determined by the endoglycosidase H sensitivity, and was bound to membrane. Therefore, the complete HA polypeptide possessing the signal sequence probably traversed the yeast secretory pathways. Signal-minus HA, on the other hand, had a lower molecular weight and was nonglycosylated. The specific binding of yeast HA with antiviral antibodies could be competitively inhibited by influenza viral HA, demonstrating that the HA produced in yeast contained antigenic determinants of the native viral HA.