7. Ebola virus

Question 1

Ebola genome - # of genes and # of proteins?

Answer 1

Genes - 7

Proteins - 8

Question 2

Family that ebolavirus belongs to?

Answer 2

Filoviridae

Question 3

Ebolavirus genome?

Answer 3

(-)ssRNA

Question 4

Ebola - site of genome replication in host cell?

Answer 4

Cytoplasm

Question 5

What forms the ebola replication complex?

Answer 5

• Nucleoprotein (NP)
• Polymerase (L)
• VP30 (transcription activator)
• VP35 (pol cofactor)

Question 6

Which ebola gene codes for 2 proteins? What are the proteins?

Answer 6

GP (glycoprotein)

• Full GP (cell recognition and membrane fusion)
• sGP (truncated form of GP) => immune evasion

Question 7

Steps in ebola membrane fusion priming?

Answer 7

CatL removes GP1 mucin-like domain and glycan cap (GP1 goes from 130 to 20 kDa)

CatB truncates GP1 from 20 to 19 kDa

Now ready for conformational changes

Question 8

VP40 conformations and functions?

Answer 8

Hexamer - filaments that form the viral matrix

Octamer - regulates transcription by binding (-) RNA

Question 9

Ebola matrix is formed by what 2 proteins?

Answer 9

VP40 and VP24

Question 10

C-terminus of GP2 interacts with what?

Answer 10

Matrix protein VP40

Question 11

What is NPC1?

Answer 11

Niemann-Pick C1 protein

Interacts with 19 kDa form of GP1 during cathepsin triggering

Question 12

What cleaves ebola GP polypeptide?

Answer 12

Ubiquitous cellular proteases (similar to hi-path influenza)

Question 13

Function of ebola sGP?

Answer 13

Immune evasion - absorbs anti-GP Abs?

Question 14

Ebola viral glycoproteins?

Answer 14

GP1, GP2

Question 15

What host cell receptor does ebola bind?

Answer 15

Host cell lectins

Question 16

Function of ebola VP30 vs VP35?

Answer 16

VP30 - transcription activator

VP35 - polymerase cofactor

Question 17

Function of ebola GP?

Answer 17

Receptor binding + membrane fusion