Flavivirus NS1 Structures Reveal Surfaces for Associations with Membranes and the Immune System

Abstract

Two-Faced Viral Protein Flaviviruses cause human diseases such as West Nile fever and dengue fever. The flavivirus nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) has multiple functions in flavivirus biology and is a target for vaccine development. Dimeric NS1 is essential for replication of the viral genome inside host cells, while hexameric NS1 is secreted and plays a role in evasion of the immune system. Akey et al. (p. 881 , published online 6 February; see the Perspective by Shi ) report crystal structures for full-length glycosylated NS1 from West Nile and dengue viruses. The structures show a hexamer comprised of three dimers. The structural analysis together with liposome and mutational studies identify a membrane interacting surface on one face of the dimer and an immune evasion surface on the other.