A Molecular Determinant of West Nile Virus Secretion and Morphology as a Target for Viral Attenuation.

ABSTRACT: West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flavivirus genus and currently one of the most common arboviruses worldwide, is associated with severe neurological disease in humans. Its high potential to reemerge and rapidly disseminate makes it a bona fide global public health problem. The surface membrane glycoprotein (M) has been associated with Flavivirus-induced pathogenesis. Here, we identified a key amino acid residue at position 36 of the M protein whose mutation impacts WNV secretion and promotes viral attenuation. We also identified a compensatory site at position M-43 whose mutation stabilizes M-36 substitution both in vitro and in vivo Moreover, we found that introduction of the two mutations together confers a full attenuation phenotype and protection against wild-type WNV lethal chal

SUBMITTER: Basset J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7307099 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature