An antibody to lock dengue virus out: Mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV) is a growing public health threat. Nearly 400 million people are infected annually, and no vaccine is currently available. Fibriansah et al. report that a human antibody (2D22) specific for DENV serotype 2, when given therapeutically, can protect mice from a lethal form of this virus. Structural analysis revealed that 2D22 binds across multiple DENV envelope proteins, which probably blocks the ability of these proteins to assemble into the orientation necessary for viral entry. The epitope where 2D22 binds to the virus may therefore represent a potential vaccine target. Science , this issue p. 88

Dengue virus (DENV) infects ~400 million people annually. There is no licensed vaccine or therapeutic drug. Only a small fraction of the total DENV-specific antibodies in a naturally occurring dengue infection consists of highly neutralizing antibodies. Here we show that the DENV-specific human monoclonal antibody 5J7 is exceptionally potent, neutralizing 50% of virus at nanogram-range antibody concentration. The 9 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Fab 5J7–DENV complex shows that a single Fab molecule binds across three envelope proteins and engages three functionally important domains, each from a different envelope protein. These domains are critical for receptor binding and fusion to the endosomal membrane. The ability to bind to multiple domains allows the antibody to fully coat the virus surface with only 60 copies of Fab, that is, half the amount compared with other potent antibodies. Our study reveals a highly efficient and unusual mechanism of molecular recognition by an antibody.

Dengue virus (DENV), which consists of four serotypes (DENV1‐4), infects over 400 million people annually. Previous studies have indicated most human monoclonal antibodies (HMAbs) from dengue patients are cross‐reactive and poorly neutralizing. Rare neutralizing HMAbs are usually serotype‐specific and bind to quaternary structure‐dependent epitopes. We determined the structure of DENV1 complexed with Fab fragments of a highly potent HMAb 1F4 to 6 Å resolution by cryo‐EM. Although HMAb 1F4 appeared to bind to virus and not E proteins in ELISAs in the previous study, our structure showed that the epitope is located within an envelope (E) protein monomer, and not across neighboring E proteins. The Fab molecules bind to domain I (DI), and DI‐DII hinge of the E protein. We also showed that HMAb 1F4 can neutralize DENV at different stages of viral entry in a cell type and receptor dependent manner. The structure reveals the mechanism by which this potent and specific antibody blocks viral infection.

Previous binding studies of antibodies that recognized a partially or fully hidden epitope suggest that insect cell-derived dengue virus undergoes structural changes at an elevated temperature. This was confirmed by our cryo-electron microscopy images of dengue virus incubated at 37°C, where viruses change their surface from smooth to rough. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy structures of dengue virus at 37°C. Image analysis showed four classes of particles. The three-dimensional (3D) map of one of these classes, representing half of the imaged virus population, shows that the E protein shell has expanded and there is a hole at the 3-fold vertices. Fitting E protein structures into the map suggests that all of the interdimeric and some intradimeric E protein interactions are weakened. The accessibility of some previously found cryptic epitopes on this class of particles is discussed.

Structures of flavivirus (dengue virus and Zika virus) particles are known to near-atomic resolution and show detailed structure and arrangement of their surface proteins (E and prM in immature virus or M in mature virus). By contrast, the arrangement of the capsid proteins:RNA complex, which forms the core of the particle, is poorly understood, likely due to inherent dynamics. Here, we stabilize immature Zika virus via an antibody that binds across the E and prM proteins, resulting in a subnanometer resolution structure of capsid proteins within the virus particle. Fitting of the capsid protein into densities shows the presence of a helix previously thought to be removed via proteolysis. This structure illuminates capsid protein quaternary organization, including its orientation relative to the lipid membrane and the genomic RNA, and its interactions with the transmembrane regions of the surface proteins. Results show the capsid protein plays a central role in the flavivirus assembly process.