Work

Dengue Virus Serotype 1 Conformational Dynamics Confers Virus Strain-Dependent Patterns of Neutralization by Polyclonal Sera

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Dengue virus (DENV) is an important human pathogen that cocirculates globally as four serotypes. Because sequential infection by different DENV serotypes is associated with more severe disease, eliciting a protective neutralizing antibody response against all four serotypes is a major goal of vaccine efforts. Here, we report that neutralization of DENV serotype 1 by polyclonal antibody is impacted by minor sequence variation among virus strains. Our data suggest that mechanisms that control neutralization sensitivity extend beyond variation within antibody epitopes but also include the influence of single amino acids on the ensemble of structural states sampled by structurally dynamic virions. A more detailed understanding of the antibody targets of DENV-specific polyclonal sera and factors that govern their access to antibody has important implications for flavivirus antigen design and evaluation.

Source: Journal of Virology

DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00956-21