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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Host-cell entry of the highly pathogenic rabies virus (RABV) is mediated by glycoprotein (G) spikes, which also comprise the primary target for the humoral immune response. RABV glycoprotein (RABV-G) displays several antigenic sites that are targeted by neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In this study, we determined the epitope of a potently neutralizing human mAb, CR57, which we engineered into a diabody format to facilitate crystallization. We report the crystal structure of the CR57 diabody alone at 2.38 A resolution, and in complex with RABV-G domain III at 2.70 A resolution. The CR57-RABV-G structure reveals critical interactions at the antigen interface, which target the conserved "KLCGVL" peptide and residues proximal to it on RABV-G. Structural analysis combined with a cell-cell fusion assay demonstrates that CR57 effectively inhibits RABV-G-mediated fusion by obstructing the fusogenic transitions of the spike protein. Altogether, this investigation provides a structural perspective on RABV inhibition by a potently neutralizing human antibody.

Structural insight into rabies virus neutralization revealed by an engineered antibody scaffold.,Kedari A, Iheozor-Ejiofor R, Salminen P, Ugurlu H, Makela AR, Levanov L, Vapalahti O, Hytonen VP, Saksela K, Rissanen I Structure. 2024 Oct 25:S0969-2126(24)00437-4. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2024.10.002. PMID:39471803^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.