Isolation and immunogenic properties of a monomeric form of the HA1 subunit of the influenza virus haemagglutinin from infected cells

A monomeric, truncated form of the HA1 subunit of the haemagglutinin of fowl plague virus can be isolated from chorioallantoic membranes of infected eggs. This type of soluble HA1 seems to be generated by the elimination of the amino-terminal 19 amino acids from the native HA1, including the disulphide linkage to the HA2 subunit. The same type of truncated HA1 could be isolated from a filtrate of the allantoic fluid of infected embryonated eggs. Antibodies prepared against this monomeric soluble form of HA1 did not inhibit haemagglutination or neutralize viral infectivity, but interfered with virus release and would be expected to impair the spread of virus after infection.