The G protein of human respiratory syncytial virus: significance of carbohydrate side-chains and the C-terminal end to its antigenicity

J Gen Virol. 1991 Mar:72 ( Pt 3):669-75. doi: 10.1099/0022-1317-72-3-669.

Abstract

The reactivities of eighteen monoclonal antibodies with different glycosylated forms of the human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus G protein were tested in Western blots. Only five antibodies recognized the unglycosylated precursor. The majority of antibodies, however, reacted with the O-glycosylated form of the G protein, emphasizing the importance of this type of modification for the antigenicity of the mature molecule. Human antisera, which recognized the RS virus G protein in Western blots, failed to inhibit the binding of anti-G antibodies to the virus but inhibited the binding of anti-F antibodies in the same type of assay. The human antibodies, however, did not recognize the G protein of some neutralization-resistant mutants selected with one anti-G monoclonal antibody. These mutants contain drastic amino acid sequence changes in the C-terminal end of the G molecule. The results are discussed in terms of the G protein antigenic structure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Antigens, Viral / chemistry
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • HN Protein*
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera / immunology
  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / immunology*
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*
  • Viral Proteins*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • HN Protein
  • Immune Sera
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • attachment protein G