Structure and flexibility of non-structural proteins 3 and -5 of Dengue- and Zika viruses in solution

Dengue- (DENV) and Zika viruses (ZIKV) rely on their non-structural protein 5 (NS5) including a methyl-transferase (MTase) and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for capping and synthesis of the viral RNA, and the non-structural protein 3 (NS3) with its protease and helicase domain for polyprotein possessing, unwinding dsRNA proceeding replication, and NTPase/RTPase activities. Accumulation of data for DENV- and ZIKV NS3 and NS5 in solution during recent years provides information about their overall shape, substrate-induced alterations, oligomeric forms and flexibility, with the latter being essential for domain-domain crosstalk. The importance and differences of the linker regions that connect the two domains of NS3 or NS5 are highlighted in particular with respect to the different DENV serotypes (DENV-1 to -4) as well as to the sequence diversities between the DENV and ZIKV proteins. Novel mutants of the French Polynesia ZIKV NS3 linker presented, identify critical residues in protein stability and enzymatic activity.