Adding to the knowledge base is the previous work the group has done with flaviviruses, the viral family that causes diseases including West Nile, dengue and yellow fever. The group, which is composed of researchers from Kuhn's lab, as well as the labs of Michael Rossmann and Timothy Baker, has described the structure of other flaviviruses before (see related articles below). While this is the first time West Nile's structure has been described, Kuhn said the group's past work could assist with science's understanding of this particular viral family.
"What we already know from studying other flaviviruses could give us a leg up understanding West Nile's behavior," he said. "Dengue, for example, has a very similar structure to West Nile's, but its surface features are sufficiently different that comparisons could help shed light on how West Nile operates."
Since it first appeared in New York City in 1999, West Nile virus has spread to 44 states, hitting the northern plains and eastern Rocky Mountains particularly hard. So far this year, there have been more than 4,400 cases and 84 deaths nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a Web site with information on the spread of West Nile and its prevention.
While Kuhn is hopeful that the group's work will add to the effort to contain the disease, he said much additional work will be required to understand the virus' life cycle on the molecular level.
"Our structural map now shows only the general orientation of the proteins," he said. "What we need now is to include what you might think of as an 'inset map' - an even smaller-scale picture that details the structure of each of the three protein varieties that make up the virus particle. Then researchers will have more insight into how the proteins bond with cells and each
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Contact: Chad Boutin
cboutin@purdue.edu
765-494-2081
Purdue University
9-Oct-2003