Scientists solve first flavivirus...( nization of the shell protein is very d...)

nization of the shell protein is very different from what we've seen before and what we might have predicted for this type of virus," he says. "For example, the protein completely covers the surface of the virus. Generally, when a virus contains a lipid bilayer beneath, we can see some of the lipid on the surface of the virus. In this case, the lipid bilayer is completely concealed."

The virus surface also is unusually smooth, he says, noting that the dengue virus resembles a golf ball, with small indentations stamped upon the shell where the protein structures come together.

"Most viruses have a number of spikes and projections on their surface, and these are used by the virus to interact with host cells," Kuhn says. "Even among the enveloped viruses, such as HIV or influenza, such spikes are common."

The structure of the dengue virus also suggests it employs a cell entry pathway similar to another group of viruses known as togaviruses, Kuhn says.

The Purdue team is now pursuing experiments to determine how the virus puts itself together and how it carries out the fusion process with the host cell.

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Contact: Susan Gaidos
sgaidos@purdue.edu
765-494-2081
Purdue University
7-Mar-2002

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