Relating structure to evolution in class II viral membrane fusion proteins.


Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Abstract

Enveloped viruses must fuse their lipid membrane to a cellular membrane to deliver the viral genome into the cytoplasm for replication. Viral envelope proteins catalyze this critical membrane fusion event. They fall into at least three distinct structural classes. Class II fusion proteins have a conserved three-domain architecture and are found in many important viral pathogens. Until 2013, class II proteins had only been found in flaviviruses and alphaviruses. However, in 2013 a class II fusion protein was discovered in the unrelated phlebovirus genus, and two unexpectedly divergent envelope proteins were identified in families that also contain prototypical class II proteins. The structural relationships of newly identified class II proteins, reviewed herein, shift the paradigm for how these proteins evolved.

Description
Keywords
Biological Evolution, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Viral Fusion Proteins, Viruses
Journal Title
Curr Opin Virol
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1879-6257
1879-6265
Volume Title
5
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Rights
All rights reserved
Sponsorship
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM102869)