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Flavivirus structural heterogeneity: implications for cell entry

Félix A Rey1, Karin Stiasny2, Franz X Heinz2

  • 1Structural Virology Unit, Virology Department, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.

Current Opinion in Virology
|July 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Flaviviruses like Zika virus pose a significant threat. Their complex structure and particle heterogeneity may explain their broad host-range and tissue tropism, impacting human health.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Structural Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Flaviviruses, including Zika virus, are a major public health concern.
  • High-resolution structures of flaviviruses reveal complex icosahedral organizations.
  • Proteolytic maturation is incomplete, leading to heterogeneous viral particles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the structural heterogeneity of flaviviruses.
  • To understand the role of particle dynamics in viral behavior.
  • To investigate how heterogeneity contributes to host-range and tropism.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of high-resolution viral structures.
  • Characterization of immature and mature virion organizations.
  • Investigation of viral envelope glycoprotein dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Flaviviruses exhibit diverse icosahedral organizations.
  • Incomplete maturation generates heterogeneous mosaic particles.
  • Dynamic viral glycoproteins create variable surface interaction sites.

Conclusions:

  • Viral particle heterogeneity and glycoprotein dynamics influence receptor interactions.
  • This heterogeneity may explain the broad host-range and tissue tropism of flaviviruses.
  • Understanding particle clouds is crucial for comprehending Zika virus outbreaks and flavivirus emergence.

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