8VT2 image
Entry Detail
PDB ID:
8VT2
EMDB ID:
Keywords:
Title:
cryo-EM structure of HMPV (MPV-2c)
Biological Source:
Source Organism:
Host Organism:
PDB Version:
Deposition Date:
2024-01-25
Release Date:
2024-07-31
Method Details:
Experimental Method:
Resolution:
3.14 Å
Aggregation State:
PARTICLE
Reconstruction Method:
SINGLE PARTICLE
Macromolecular Entities
Polymer Type:polypeptide(L)
Description:Prefusion of HMPV (MPV-2c)
Chain IDs:A, B, C
Chain Length:514
Number of Molecules:3
Biological Source:Human metapneumovirus
Ligand Molecules
Primary Citation
Efficacious human metapneumovirus vaccine based on AI-guided engineering of a closed prefusion trimer.
Nat Commun 15 6270 6270 (2024)
PMID: 39054318 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50659-5

Abstact

The prefusion conformation of human metapneumovirus fusion protein (hMPV Pre-F) is critical for eliciting the most potent neutralizing antibodies and is the preferred immunogen for an efficacious vaccine against hMPV respiratory infections. Here we show that an additional cleavage event in the F protein allows closure and correct folding of the trimer. We therefore engineered the F protein to undergo double cleavage, which enabled screening for Pre-F stabilizing substitutions at the natively folded protomer interfaces. To identify these substitutions, we developed an AI convolutional classifier that successfully predicts complex polar interactions often overlooked by physics-based methods and visual inspection. The combination of additional processing, stabilization of interface regions and stabilization of the membrane-proximal stem, resulted in a Pre-F protein vaccine candidate without the need for a heterologous trimerization domain that exhibited high expression yields and thermostability. Cryo-EM analysis shows the complete ectodomain structure, including the stem, and a specific interaction of the newly identified cleaved C-terminus with the adjacent protomer. Importantly, the protein induces high and cross-neutralizing antibody responses resulting in near complete protection against hMPV challenge in cotton rats, making the highly stable, double-cleaved hMPV Pre-F trimer an attractive vaccine candidate.

Legend

Protein

Chemical

Disease

Primary Citation of related structures