Bovine viral diarrhea virus envelope glycoprotein E2 (BVDV E2)

The Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) E2 glycoprotein is the primary envelope protein and the most significant target for neutralizing antibodies in infected or vaccinated cattle (UniProt P19711). It plays a vital role in viral pathogenesis by mediating attachment to the host cell receptor CD46 and facilitating the subsequent fusion of the viral and cellular membranes (PubMed: 15140980). The E2 protein is highly variable, particularly across the BVDV-1 (subtypes 1a, 1b, 1e, 1f) and BVDV-2 (subtype 2a) genotypes, which results in significant antigenic diversity (PubMed: 31405105). This variability is a major challenge for vaccine development, as antibodies generated against one subtype, such as BVDV-1a, may not provide complete cross-protection against others like BVDV-1b or BVDV-2a (PubMed: 20153244). Consequently, modern vaccines often incorporate E2 antigens from multiple strains or use highly conserved regions to elicit a broader immune response (PubMed: 28438305). Beyond its role as a vaccine antigen, E2 is the target of diagnostic tools used to identify persistently infected animals and assess herd-level immunity (PubMed: 23830235).

Other names

gp53E2 glycoproteinBVDV surface protein E2Pestivirus E2 proteinBVDV-1 E2BVDV-2 E2

Neutralization of viral infectivity by blocking binding to host cell receptors (e.g., CD46) and inhibiting the pH-dependent membrane fusion process required for viral entry.