THE PROTEIN-E 98-113 SEQUENCE AS THE FUSION SITE OF TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS WITH A CELLULAR MEMBRANE

The synthetic peptide with the conservative 98-113 sequence of protein E of tick-borne encephalitis virus was studied in order to elucidate its role in the functioning of flaviviruses. The peptide was shown to inhibit the in vitro infection of macrophages with the virus. An antib ody that specifically binds this peptide was found among the set of mo noclonal antibodies produced against protein E. This antibody was foun d to prevent penetration of the virus into liposomes. A correlation wa s found between our results and data on the spatial structure of prote in E and its interspecies homology. The protein E 98-113 sequence of t he tick-borne encephalitis virus was found to be the fusion site of th e viral envelope with a cellular membrane.