Capsid protein C of tick-borne encephalitis virus tolerates large internal deletions and is a favorable target for attenuation of virulence.

ABSTRACT: Deletions ranging in size from 4 to 21 amino acid residues were introduced into the capsid protein of the flavivirus tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus. These deletions incrementally affected a hydrophobic domain which is present at the center of all flavivirus capsid protein sequences and part of which may form an amphipathic alpha-helix. In the context of the full-length TBE genome, the deletions did not measurably affect protein expression and up to a deletion length of 16 amino acid residues, corresponding to almost 17% of mature protein C, viable virus was recovered. This virus was strongly attenuated but highly immunogenic in adult mice, revealing capsid protein C as a new and attractive target for the directed attenuation of flaviviruses. Apparently, the larger deletions interfered

SUBMITTER: Kofler RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC136049 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature