title: Structure of the Epstein-Barr virus major envelope glycoprotein.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of B cells is associated with lymphoma and other human cancers. EBV infection is initiated by the binding of the viral envelope glycoprotein (gp350) to the cell surface receptor CR2. We determined the X-ray structure of the highly glycosylated gp350 and defined the CR2 binding site on gp350. Polyglycans shield all but one surface of the gp350 polypeptide, and we demonstrate that this glycan-free surface is the receptor-binding site. Deglycosylated gp350 bound CR2 similarly to the glycosylated form, suggesting that glycosylation is not important for receptor binding. Structure-guided mutagenesis of the glycan-free surface disrupted receptor binding as well as binding by a gp350 monoclonal antibody, a known inhibitor of virus-receptor interactions. These results provide structural information for developing drugs and vaccines to prevent infection by EBV and related viruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Gerda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szakonyi
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Kendra A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Runlin Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Rengasamy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asokan
authors.forename: V Michael
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Holers
authors.forename: Xiaojiang S
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006031:Glycosylation; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018411:Spodoptera; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D011134:Polysaccharides; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins