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PLoS Biol. 2019 Feb 4;17(2):e3000139. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000139. [Epub ahead of print]
Potent anti-influenza H7 human monoclonal antibody induces separation of hemagglutinin receptor-binding head domains.
Turner HL1, Pallesen J1, Lang S1, Bangaru S2, Urata S3, Li S3, Cottrell CA1, Bowman CA1, Crowe JE Jr2,4,5, Wilson IA1,6, Ward AB1.
Author information
Abstract
Seasonal influenza virus infections can cause significant morbidity and mortality, but the threat from the emergence of a new pandemic influenza strain might have potentially even more devastating consequences. As such, there is intense interest in isolating and characterizing potent neutralizing antibodies that target the hemagglutinin (HA) viral surface glycoprotein. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) to decipher the mechanism of action of a potent HA head-directed monoclonal antibody (mAb) bound to an influenza H7 HA. The epitope of the antibody is not solvent accessible in the compact, prefusion conformation that typifies all HA structures to date. Instead, the antibody binds between HA head protomers to an epitope that must be partly or transiently exposed in the prefusion conformation. The "breathing" of the HA protomers is implied by the exposure of this epitope, which is consistent with metastability of class I fusion proteins. This structure likely therefore represents an early structural intermediate in the viral fusion process. Understanding the extent of transient exposure of conserved neutralizing epitopes also may lead to new opportunities to combat influenza that have not been appreciated previously.
PMID: 30716060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000139
Potent anti-influenza H7 human monoclonal antibody induces separation of hemagglutinin receptor-binding head domains.
Turner HL1, Pallesen J1, Lang S1, Bangaru S2, Urata S3, Li S3, Cottrell CA1, Bowman CA1, Crowe JE Jr2,4,5, Wilson IA1,6, Ward AB1.
Author information
Abstract
Seasonal influenza virus infections can cause significant morbidity and mortality, but the threat from the emergence of a new pandemic influenza strain might have potentially even more devastating consequences. As such, there is intense interest in isolating and characterizing potent neutralizing antibodies that target the hemagglutinin (HA) viral surface glycoprotein. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) to decipher the mechanism of action of a potent HA head-directed monoclonal antibody (mAb) bound to an influenza H7 HA. The epitope of the antibody is not solvent accessible in the compact, prefusion conformation that typifies all HA structures to date. Instead, the antibody binds between HA head protomers to an epitope that must be partly or transiently exposed in the prefusion conformation. The "breathing" of the HA protomers is implied by the exposure of this epitope, which is consistent with metastability of class I fusion proteins. This structure likely therefore represents an early structural intermediate in the viral fusion process. Understanding the extent of transient exposure of conserved neutralizing epitopes also may lead to new opportunities to combat influenza that have not been appreciated previously.
PMID: 30716060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000139