The Structure of Barmah Forest Virus as Revealed by Cryo-Electron Microscopy at a 6-Angstrom Resolution Has Detailed Transmembrane Protein Architecture and Interactions.
Kostyuchenko, V.A., Jakana, J., Liu, X., Haddow, A.D., Aung, M., Weaver, S.C., Chiu, W., Lok, S.(2011) J Virol 85: 9327
- PubMed: 21752915
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.05015-11
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
2YEW - PubMed Abstract:
Barmah Forest virus (BFV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that infects humans. A 6-Å-resolution cryo-electron microscopy three-dimensional structure of BFV exhibits a typical alphavirus organization, with RNA-containing nucleocapsid surrounded by a bilipid membrane anchored with the surface proteins E1 and E2. The map allows details of the transmembrane regions of E1 and E2 to be seen. The C-terminal end of the E2 transmembrane helix binds to the capsid protein. Following the E2 transmembrane helix, a short α-helical endodomain lies on the inner surface of the lipid envelope. The E2 endodomain interacts with E1 transmembrane helix from a neighboring E1-E2 trimeric spike, thereby acting as a spacer and a linker between spikes. In agreement with previous mutagenesis studies, the endodomain plays an important role in recruiting other E1-E2 spikes to the budding site during virus assembly. The E2 endodomain may thus serve as a target for antiviral drug design.
Organizational Affiliation:
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Rd., 169857, Singapore.