Plasticity of a critical antigenic determinant in the West Nile virus NY99 envelope protein domain III.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes febrile illness, encephalitis, and occasionally death in humans. The envelope protein is the main component of the WNV virion surface, and domain III of the envelope protein (EIII) is both a putative receptor binding domain and a target of highly specific, potently neutralizing antibodies. Envelope E-332 (E-332) is known to have naturally occurring variation and to be a key determinant of neutralization for anti-EIII antibodies. A panel of viruses containing all possible amino acid substitutions at E-332 was constructed. E-332 was found to be highly tolerant of mutation, and almost all of these changes had large impacts on antigenicity of EIII but only limited effects on growth or virulence phenotypes.
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: japlante@email.unc.edu.
Jessica A
JA
Plante
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
Maricela
M
Torres
Arbovirus Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
Claire Y-H
CY
Huang
Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: dwbeasle@utmb.edu.
David W C
DWC
Beasley
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D000072417:Protein Domains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D014709:Vero Cells; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D000939:Epitopes; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins
Domain III; Envelope; Flavivirus; West nile virus