title: Tick-borne encephalitis virus envelope protein E-specific monoclonal antibodies for the study of low pH-induced conformational changes and immature virions.
abstract: A set of ten monoconal antibodies (mabs) specific for the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus envelope protein E were prepared and characterized with respect to their functional activities, the location of their binding sites on protein E and the involvement of their epitopes in acid pH-induced conformational changes and interactions with the precursor to the membrane protein (prM) in immature virions. The majority of these mabs mapped to the previously defined antigenic domain A. All of the mabs recognize parts of the E protein which undergo low pH-induced structural rearrangements believed to be necessary for the fusion activity of the virus, and six of the mabs define epitopes which are affected by the prM-E interaction in immature virions. They are therefore of potential value as specific reagents for studying the structure and function of protein E, as well as the function of the prM-E association. Five of the mabs exhibited neutralizing activity, and can therefore be used for the selection of escape mutants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Holzmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stiasny
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: York
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dorner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Heinz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D014771:Virion / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C065696:glycoprotein E, Flavivirus