The Modis Lab Research

Dengue animation J Virol cover_____________________

Artistic rendering of dengue virus immediately prior to the fusion of the viral lipid membrane (bottom) to the endosomal membrane of the host cell (top). Two dengue virus envelope protein trimers are shown (in surface representation) on either side of a nascent membrane fusion stalk. Completion of membrane fusion requires the a-helical “stem” regions (shown in worm representation) to anneal onto the core of the E trimers. An article in the Journal of Virology describes the crystals structure of dengue type 1 virus E protein in the postfusion conformation. Image created by Janet Iwasa and Gaël McGill, Digizyme, Inc.

Vinod Nayak, Moshe Dessau, Kaury Kucera, Karen Anthony, Michel Ledizet & Yorgo Modis (2009). Crystal structure of dengue type 1 envelope protein in the postfusion conformation and its implication for receptor binding, membrane fusion and antibody recognition. J. Virol., 83, 4338-44.