Virtuelle (Nano) Welten: PDB Molecule of the Month 20: Polyovirus and Rhinovirus

Antibody Protection

Antibodies bind to the surface of picornaviruses and stop them from attacking cells. In the left picture, rhinovirus is bound to a receptor protein on the cell surface, shown in blue (from PDB entry 1dgi). Notice that the receptor protein is gripped within a groove that encircles the five-fold symmetrical arrangement of proteins shown in yellow (known as the canyon in the picornavirus literature). Antibodies bind to the surface of rhinovirus and poliovirus in this same position and block their attachment to the surfaces of cells. The right picture shows fragments of antibodies (in light blue) bound to rhinovirus (from PDB entry 1rvf). The intact antibodies are much larger than the small fragments seen here, so seven to ten antibodies are enough to form a bulky barrier on each virus to block attachment and infection.

Poliovirus and Rhinovirus

Antibody Protection