Ebolavirus VP24 protein (VP24)

The Ebolavirus VP24 protein is a multifunctional viral protein that constitutes about 7.5% of total Ebolavirus proteins and serves as a secondary matrix and nucleocapsid-associated protein essential for the viral life cycle. It interacts with the nucleoprotein (NP) via residues 169–173 to promote nucleocapsid (NC) formation, oligomerization, and packaging into virions, signaling the transition from replication to egress. VP24 also contributes to virus assembly, budding, and the production of infectious particles by inducing conformational changes in the NC and associating with membranes. A primary role of VP24 is immune evasion: it binds karyopherin-α (KPNA) proteins (e.g., KPNA1, KPNA5) to block nuclear translocation of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT1, inhibiting IFN-α/β and IFN-γ signaling pathways, and disrupts p38 MAPK and NF-κB activation to suppress host antiviral responses. Structurally, VP24 adopts a pyramidal fold with α-helices and β-sheets, featuring conserved pockets and interaction sites for host factors, and it exists primarily as a monomer with N-terminal regions critical for oligomerization. As a key virulence factor in Ebolavirus disease, VP24 represents a promising antiviral target, though no approved drugs directly interact with it yet.

Other names

eVP24Ebola viral protein 24