The 1.51-Angstrom structure of the poxvirus L1 protein, a target of potent neutralizing antibodies.

Abstract	Although eradicated from nature more than two decades ago, the threat of smallpox has reemerged because of concerns over its use as a biological weapon. We present the structure of the poxvirus L1 protein, a molecule that is conserved throughout the poxvirus family and is nearly identical in vaccinia virus and in variola virus, which causes smallpox. L1 is a myristoylated envelope protein that is a potent target for neutralizing antibodies and an important component of current experimental vaccines. The L1 structure reveals a hydrophobic cavity located adjacent to its N terminus. The cavity would be capable of shielding the myristate moiety, which is essential for virion assembly. The structure of L1 is a step in the elucidation of molecular mechanisms common to all poxviruses that may stimulate the design of safer vaccines and new antipoxvirus drugs.
Authors	Hua-Poo Su, Scott C Garman, Timothy J Allison, Christiana Fogg, Bernard Moss, David N Garboczi
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A) Vol. 102 Issue 12 Pg. 4240-5 (Mar 22 2005) ISSN: 0027-8424 [Print] United States
PMID	15761054 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
Chemical References	Antibodies, Viral DNA, Viral DNA-Binding Proteins Disulfides I1 protein, vaccinia virus Myristic Acids Smallpox Vaccine Viral Core Proteins Viral Envelope Proteins
Topics	Amino Acid Sequence Animals Antibodies, Viral Base Sequence Crystallography, X-Ray DNA, Viral (genetics) DNA-Binding Proteins (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Disulfides (chemistry) Humans Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions Models, Molecular Molecular Sequence Data Myristic Acids (chemistry) Neutralization Tests Poxviridae (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Protein Conformation Sequence Homology, Amino Acid Smallpox Vaccine (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Static Electricity Vaccinia virus (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Variola virus (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Viral Core Proteins (chemistry, genetics, immunology) Viral Envelope Proteins (chemistry, genetics, immunology)

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