Comparative Analysis of Viral Proteins Using Protein Intrinsic Disorder Predictions
Author Information
Author(s): Goh Gerard Kian-Meng, Dunker A Keith, Uversky Vladimir N
Primary Institution: Indiana University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Can disorder prediction be used to determine or map at least some of the functions for viral proteins?
Conclusion
The study shows that intrinsic disorder predictions can provide insights into the functional and structural behavior of viral proteins.
Supporting Evidence
- High abundance of intrinsic disorder in envelope and matrix proteins from HIV-related viruses likely helps HIV escape immune response.
- Neuraminidases and hemagglutinin of major influenza A pandemics tend to pair in a way that both proteins are either ordered or disordered.
- Predicted disorder varies with protein type, location, and function, especially in influenza viruses.
Takeaway
This study looks at how some viral proteins are messy and don't have a fixed shape, which helps scientists understand how they work and how viruses can escape the immune system.
Methodology
A relational database was constructed to analyze viral proteins from influenza A and HIV-related viruses, using disorder prediction algorithms.
Limitations
The exact locations of some proteins within the virions are not known.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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