Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.

Genetic variation and rapid evolution are hallmarks of RNA viruses, the result of high mutation rates in RNA replication and selection of mutants that enhance viral adaptation, including the escape from host immune responses. Variability is uneven across the genome because mutations resulting in a d...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Asif M Khan, Olivo Miotto, Eduardo J M Nascimento, K N Srinivasan, A T Heiny, Guang Lan Zhang, E T Marques, Tin Wee Tan, Vladimir Brusic, Jerome Salmon, J Thomas August
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-08-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2491585?pdf=render
_version_ 1819108447581372416
author Asif M Khan
Olivo Miotto
Eduardo J M Nascimento
K N Srinivasan
A T Heiny
Guang Lan Zhang
E T Marques
Tin Wee Tan
Vladimir Brusic
Jerome Salmon
J Thomas August
author_facet Asif M Khan
Olivo Miotto
Eduardo J M Nascimento
K N Srinivasan
A T Heiny
Guang Lan Zhang
E T Marques
Tin Wee Tan
Vladimir Brusic
Jerome Salmon
J Thomas August
author_sort Asif M Khan
collection DOAJ
description Genetic variation and rapid evolution are hallmarks of RNA viruses, the result of high mutation rates in RNA replication and selection of mutants that enhance viral adaptation, including the escape from host immune responses. Variability is uneven across the genome because mutations resulting in a deleterious effect on viral fitness are restricted. RNA viruses are thus marked by protein sites permissive to multiple mutations and sites critical to viral structure-function that are evolutionarily robust and highly conserved. Identification and characterization of the historical dynamics of the conserved sites have relevance to multiple applications, including potential targets for diagnosis, and prophylactic and therapeutic purposes.We describe a large-scale identification and analysis of evolutionarily highly conserved amino acid sequences of the entire dengue virus (DENV) proteome, with a focus on sequences of 9 amino acids or more, and thus immune-relevant as potential T-cell determinants. DENV protein sequence data were collected from the NCBI Entrez protein database in 2005 (9,512 sequences) and again in 2007 (12,404 sequences). Forty-four (44) sequences (pan-DENV sequences), mainly those of nonstructural proteins and representing approximately 15% of the DENV polyprotein length, were identical in 80% or more of all recorded DENV sequences. Of these 44 sequences, 34 ( approximately 77%) were present in >or=95% of sequences of each DENV type, and 27 ( approximately 61%) were conserved in other Flaviviruses. The frequencies of variants of the pan-DENV sequences were low (0 to approximately 5%), as compared to variant frequencies of approximately 60 to approximately 85% in the non pan-DENV sequence regions. We further showed that the majority of the conserved sequences were immunologically relevant: 34 contained numerous predicted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) supertype-restricted peptide sequences, and 26 contained T-cell determinants identified by studies with HLA-transgenic mice and/or reported to be immunogenic in humans.Forty-four (44) pan-DENV sequences of at least 9 amino acids were highly conserved and identical in 80% or more of all recorded DENV sequences, and the majority were found to be immune-relevant by their correspondence to known or putative HLA-restricted T-cell determinants. The conservation of these sequences through the entire recorded DENV genetic history supports their possible value for diagnosis, prophylactic and/or therapeutic applications. The combination of bioinformatics and experimental approaches applied herein provides a framework for large-scale and systematic analysis of conserved and variable sequences of other pathogens, in particular, for rapidly mutating viruses, such as influenza A virus and HIV.
first_indexed 2024-12-22T03:10:05Z
format Article
id doaj.art-8d38fb8923da402296f0bae92645611a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-22T03:10:05Z
publishDate 2008-08-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj.art-8d38fb8923da402296f0bae92645611a2022-12-21T18:40:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352008-08-0128e27210.1371/journal.pntd.0000272Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.Asif M KhanOlivo MiottoEduardo J M NascimentoK N SrinivasanA T HeinyGuang Lan ZhangE T MarquesTin Wee TanVladimir BrusicJerome SalmonJ Thomas AugustGenetic variation and rapid evolution are hallmarks of RNA viruses, the result of high mutation rates in RNA replication and selection of mutants that enhance viral adaptation, including the escape from host immune responses. Variability is uneven across the genome because mutations resulting in a deleterious effect on viral fitness are restricted. RNA viruses are thus marked by protein sites permissive to multiple mutations and sites critical to viral structure-function that are evolutionarily robust and highly conserved. Identification and characterization of the historical dynamics of the conserved sites have relevance to multiple applications, including potential targets for diagnosis, and prophylactic and therapeutic purposes.We describe a large-scale identification and analysis of evolutionarily highly conserved amino acid sequences of the entire dengue virus (DENV) proteome, with a focus on sequences of 9 amino acids or more, and thus immune-relevant as potential T-cell determinants. DENV protein sequence data were collected from the NCBI Entrez protein database in 2005 (9,512 sequences) and again in 2007 (12,404 sequences). Forty-four (44) sequences (pan-DENV sequences), mainly those of nonstructural proteins and representing approximately 15% of the DENV polyprotein length, were identical in 80% or more of all recorded DENV sequences. Of these 44 sequences, 34 ( approximately 77%) were present in >or=95% of sequences of each DENV type, and 27 ( approximately 61%) were conserved in other Flaviviruses. The frequencies of variants of the pan-DENV sequences were low (0 to approximately 5%), as compared to variant frequencies of approximately 60 to approximately 85% in the non pan-DENV sequence regions. We further showed that the majority of the conserved sequences were immunologically relevant: 34 contained numerous predicted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) supertype-restricted peptide sequences, and 26 contained T-cell determinants identified by studies with HLA-transgenic mice and/or reported to be immunogenic in humans.Forty-four (44) pan-DENV sequences of at least 9 amino acids were highly conserved and identical in 80% or more of all recorded DENV sequences, and the majority were found to be immune-relevant by their correspondence to known or putative HLA-restricted T-cell determinants. The conservation of these sequences through the entire recorded DENV genetic history supports their possible value for diagnosis, prophylactic and/or therapeutic applications. The combination of bioinformatics and experimental approaches applied herein provides a framework for large-scale and systematic analysis of conserved and variable sequences of other pathogens, in particular, for rapidly mutating viruses, such as influenza A virus and HIV.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2491585?pdf=render
spellingShingle Asif M Khan
Olivo Miotto
Eduardo J M Nascimento
K N Srinivasan
A T Heiny
Guang Lan Zhang
E T Marques
Tin Wee Tan
Vladimir Brusic
Jerome Salmon
J Thomas August
Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
title_full Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
title_fullStr Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
title_full_unstemmed Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
title_short Conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins: implications for vaccine design.
title_sort conservation and variability of dengue virus proteins implications for vaccine design
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2491585?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT asifmkhan conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT olivomiotto conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT eduardojmnascimento conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT knsrinivasan conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT atheiny conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT guanglanzhang conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT etmarques conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT tinweetan conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT vladimirbrusic conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT jeromesalmon conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign
AT jthomasaugust conservationandvariabilityofdenguevirusproteinsimplicationsforvaccinedesign