Stereophysicochemical variability plots highlight conserved antigenic areas in Flaviviruses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Flaviviruses, which include Dengue (DV) and West Nile (WN), mutate in response to immune system pressure. Identifying escape mutants, variant progeny that replicate in the presence of neutralizing antibodies, is a common way to identify functionally important residues of viral proteins. However, the mutations typically occur at variable positions on the viral surface that are not essential for viral replication. Methods are needed to determine the true targets of the neutralizing antibodies.

Results

Stereophysicochemical variability plots (SVPs), 3-D images of protein structures colored according to variability, as determined by our PCPMer program, were used to visualize residues conserved in their physical chemical properties (PCPs) near escape mutant positions.

SUBMITTER: Schein CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1112618 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature