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CryoEM structure of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV) TC-83 strain VLP
Structural highlights
FunctionPOLS_EEVV8 Capsid protein possesses a protease activity that results in its autocatalytic cleavage from the nascent structural protein. Following its self-cleavage, the capsid protein transiently associates with ribosomes, and within several minutes the protein binds to viral RNA and rapidly assembles into icosaedric core particles. The resulting nucleocapsid eventually associates with the cytoplasmic domain of E2 at the cell membrane, leading to budding and formation of mature virions. New virions attach to target cells, and after clathrin-mediated endocytosis their membrane fuses with the host endosomal membrane. This leads to the release of the nucleocapsid into the cytoplasm, followed by an uncoating event necessary for the genomic RNA to become accessible. The uncoating might be triggered by the interaction of capsid proteins with ribosomes. Binding of ribosomes would release the genomic RNA since the same region is genomic RNA-binding and ribosome-binding (By similarity). E3 protein's function is unknown (By similarity). E2 is responsible for viral attachment to target host cell, by binding to the cell receptor. Synthesized as a p62 precursor which is processed by furin at the cell membrane just before virion budding, giving rise to E2-E1 heterodimer. The p62-E1 heterodimer is stable, whereas E2-E1 is unstable and dissociate at low pH. p62 is processed at the last step, presumably to avoid E1 fusion activation before its final export to cell surface. E2 C-terminus contains a transitory transmembrane that would be disrupted by palmitoylation, resulting in reorientation of the C-terminal tail from lumenal to cytoplasmic side. This step is critical since E2 C-terminus is involved in budding by interacting with capsid proteins. This release of E2 C-terminus in cytoplasm occurs lately in protein export, and precludes premature assembly of particles at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane (By similarity). 6K is a constitutive membrane protein involved in virus glycoprotein processing, cell permeabilization, and the budding of viral particles. Disrupts the calcium homeostasis of the cell, probably at the endoplasmic reticulum level. This leads to cytoplasmic calcium elevation. Because of its lipophilic properties, the 6K protein is postulated to influence the selection of lipids that interact with the transmembrane domains of the glycoproteins, which, in turn, affects the deformability of the bilayer required for the extreme curvature that occurs as budding proceeds. Present in low amount in virions, about 3% compared to viral glycoproteins (By similarity). E1 is a class II viral fusion protein. Fusion activity is inactive as long as E1 is bound to E2 in mature virion. After virus attachment to target cell and endocytosis, acidification of the endosome would induce dissociation of E1/E2 heterodimer and concomitant trimerization of the E1 subunits. This E1 trimer is fusion active, and promotes release of viral nucleocapsid in cytoplasm after endosome and viral membrane fusion. Efficient fusion requires the presence of cholesterol and sphingolipid in the target membrane (By similarity). Publication Abstract from PubMedVenezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) remains a risk for epidemic emergence or use as an aerosolized bioweapon. To develop possible countermeasures, we isolated VEEV-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from mice and a human immunized with attenuated VEEV strains. Functional assays and epitope mapping established that potently inhibitory anti-VEEV mAbs bind distinct antigenic sites in the A or B domains of the E2 glycoprotein and block multiple steps in the viral replication cycle including attachment, fusion, and egress. A 3.2-A cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of VEEV virus-like particles bound by a human Fab suggests that antibody engagement of the B domain may result in cross-linking of neighboring spikes to prevent conformational requirements for viral fusion. Prophylaxis or postexposure therapy with these mAbs protected mice against lethal aerosol challenge with VEEV. Our study defines functional and structural mechanisms of mAb protection and suggests that multiple antigenic determinants on VEEV can be targeted for vaccine or antibody-based therapeutic development. Neutralizing antibodies protect mice against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus aerosol challenge.,Kafai NM, Williamson LE, Binshtein E, Sukupolvi-Petty S, Gardner CL, Liu J, Mackin S, Kim AS, Kose N, Carnahan RH, Jung A, Droit L, Reed DS, Handley SA, Klimstra WB, Crowe JE, Diamond MS J Exp Med. 2022 Apr 4;219(4):e20212532. doi: 10.1084/jem.20212532. Epub 2022 Mar , 17. PMID:35297953[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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