The Influenza a Virus Uses a Sialic Acid as a Receptor

The influenza A virus uses a sialic acid as a receptor for cellular entry.  The chemical composition of the specific type of sialic acid that the virus interacts with differs among animal species.  The avian influenza virus attaches to a specific sialic acid that is present in fowl epithelial cells but absent in human cells, whereas the human influenza virus can only attach to the type of sialic acid present in human respiratory epithelium.  When pig epithelial cells, which contain both types of sialic acid, are infected with the combination of avian and human influenza A viruses, some of the new avian influenza viral particles become capable of attaching to human cells.  However, the progeny of this new strain of avian influenza virus is still unable to attach to human epithelial cells.  Which of the following phenomena best describes the change in the avian influenza virus in this experiment?

A) Interference
B) Phenotypic mixing
C) Reassortment
D) Recombination
E) Transformation

Correct Answer:

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