7tn1
Multistate design to stabilize viral class I fusion proteins
Structural highlights
FunctionFUS_HRSVA Class I viral fusion protein. Under the current model, the protein has at least 3 conformational states: pre-fusion native state, pre-hairpin intermediate state, and post-fusion hairpin state. During viral and plasma cell membrane fusion, the heptad repeat (HR) regions assume a trimer-of-hairpins structure, positioning the fusion peptide in close proximity to the C-terminal region of the ectodomain. The formation of this structure appears to drive apposition and subsequent fusion of viral and plasma cell membranes. Directs fusion of viral and cellular membranes leading to delivery of the nucleocapsid into the cytoplasm. This fusion is pH independent and occurs directly at the outer cell membrane. The trimer of F1-F2 (protein F) interacts with glycoprotein G at the virion surface. Upon binding of G to heparan sulfate, the hydrophobic fusion peptide is unmasked and interacts with the cellular membrane, inducing the fusion between host cell and virion membranes. Notably, RSV fusion protein is able to interact directly with heparan sulfate and therefore actively participates in virus attachment. Furthermore, the F2 subunit was identifed as the major determinant of RSV host cell specificity. Later in infection, proteins F expressed at the plasma membrane of infected cells mediate fusion with adjacent cells to form syncytia, a cytopathic effect that could lead to tissue necrosis. The fusion protein is also able to trigger p53-dependent apoptosis.[1] [2] Publication Abstract from PubMedMany pathogenic viruses rely on class I fusion proteins to fuse their viral membrane with the host cell membrane. To drive the fusion process, class I fusion proteins undergo an irreversible conformational change from a metastable prefusion state to an energetically more stable postfusion state. Mounting evidence underscores that antibodies targeting the prefusion conformation are the most potent, making it a compelling vaccine candidate. Here, we establish a computational design protocol that stabilizes the prefusion state while destabilizing the postfusion conformation. With this protocol, we stabilize the fusion proteins of the RSV, hMPV, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, testing fewer than a handful of designs. The solved structures of these designed proteins from all three viruses evidence the atomic accuracy of our approach. Furthermore, the humoral response of the redesigned RSV F protein compares to that of the recently approved vaccine in a mouse model. While the parallel design of two conformations allows the identification of energetically sub-optimal positions for one conformation, our protocol also reveals diverse molecular strategies for stabilization. Given the clinical significance of viruses using class I fusion proteins, our algorithm can substantially contribute to vaccine development by reducing the time and resources needed to optimize these immunogens. A general computational design strategy for stabilizing viral class I fusion proteins.,Gonzalez KJ, Huang J, Criado MF, Banerjee A, Tompkins SM, Mousa JJ, Strauch EM Nat Commun. 2024 Feb 13;15(1):1335. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45480-z. PMID:38351001[3] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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