Tick-borne encephalitis virus envelope glycoprotein E (TBEV E)

The Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) envelope glycoprotein E is the principal surface component of the virion and plays a decisive role in the viral life cycle (UniProt: P14336). It is a class II membrane fusion protein that mediates both the attachment to host cell receptors and the subsequent fusion of the viral envelope with the endosomal membrane upon internalization (PubMed: 25121747). As the most prominent antigen on the viral surface, it is the primary target for the host's neutralizing antibody response and serves as the basis for all currently approved TBE vaccines (WHO: Tick-borne encephalitis). In clinical settings, the E protein is central to the pathogenesis of tick-borne encephalitis, a serious infection of the central nervous system. Therapeutic interventions targeting this protein, such as inactivated vaccines and experimental monoclonal antibodies, aim to prevent viral entry, thereby limiting the spread of the virus and the severity of the resulting neurological disease (PubMed: 30559447).

Other names

Envelope protein EGlycoprotein ETBEV envelope proteinTick-borne flavivirus E proteinTBEV E protein

Neutralization of viral infectivity by blocking receptor binding or inhibiting pH-induced conformational changes required for membrane fusion (PubMed: 25121747).