Zika virus envelope protein domain III (EDIII) (EDIII)

Domain III of the Zika virus envelope protein (EDIII) is a discrete, immunoglobulin-like fold located at the C-terminus of the viral E protein (Sirohi et al., 2016). It plays a pivotal role in the viral life cycle by mediating attachment to host cell receptors, which is the first step of infection (Hasan et al., 2017). As the most surface-exposed region of the E protein, EDIII contains several potent, type-specific neutralizing epitopes, making it a primary focus for the design of subunit vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (Tai et al., 2019). Unlike other domains of the E protein, EDIII is less likely to induce cross-reactive antibodies that lead to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection with related flaviviruses like Dengue (Stettler et al., 2016). Consequently, it is considered a high-priority target for developing safe and effective interventions against Zika virus-associated pathologies, including congenital microcephaly and neurological disorders. Experimental antibodies such as ZIKV-117 have demonstrated high efficacy in neutralizing the virus by binding to this domain and preventing the conformational changes required for membrane fusion (Sapparapu et al., 2016). Therapeutic strategies targeting EDIII aim to block viral entry and reduce the risk of severe disease outcomes in at-risk populations.

Other names

ZIKV EDIIIZika virus E protein domain IIIEnvelope protein domain III of Zika virus

Neutralization of viral infectivity by blocking attachment to host cell receptors and preventing the conformational changes required for membrane fusion.