Identification of a New Broadly Cross-reactive Epitope within Domain III of the Duck Tembusu Virus E Protein

Sci Rep. 2016 Nov 8:6:36288. doi: 10.1038/srep36288.

Abstract

In 2010, a pathogenic flavivirus termed duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) caused widespread outbreak of egg-drop syndrome in domesticated ducks in China. Although the glycoprotein E of DTMUV is an important structural component of the virus, the B-cell epitopes of this protein remains uncharacterized. Using phage display and mutagenesis, we identified a minimal B-cell epitope, 374EXE/DPPFG380, that mediates binding to a nonneutralizing monoclonal antibody. DTMUV-positive duck serum reacted with the epitope, and amino acid substitutions revealed the specific amino acids that are essential for antibody binding. Dot-blot assays of various flavivirus-positive sera indicated that EXE/DPPFG is a cross-reactive epitope in most flaviviruses, including Zika, West Nile, Yellow fever, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. These findings indicate that the epitope sequence is conserved among many strains of mosquito-borne flavivirus. Protein structure modeling revealed that the epitope is located in domain III of the DTMUV E protein. Together, these results provide new insights on the broad cross-reactivity of a B-cell binding site of the E protein of flaviviruses, which can be exploited as a diagnostic or therapeutic target for identifying, studying, or treating DTMUV and other flavivirus infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Ducks / virology*
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / genetics*
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / metabolism
  • Flavivirus / genetics
  • Flavivirus / metabolism*
  • Flavivirus Infections / virology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Peptide Library
  • Poultry Diseases / virology
  • Protein Domains
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / chemistry*
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte
  • Peptide Library
  • Viral Envelope Proteins

Supplementary concepts

  • Tembusu virus