diff --git a/papers/2025_larsen_f.md b/papers/2025_larsen_f.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a11cc7d --- /dev/null +++ b/papers/2025_larsen_f.md @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ +--- +layout: paper +title: "Functional and antigenic constraints on the Nipah virus fusion protein" +date: "2025-10-15" +authors: + - "Brendan B Larsen" + - "Sheri Harari" + - "Risako Gen" + - "Cameron Stewart" + - "David Veesler" + - "Jesse D Bloom" +journal: "bioRxiv" +doi: "10.1101/2025.10.15.682664" +link: "https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.15.682664" +image: "/assets/papers/2025_larsen_f.jpg" +keywords: + - "Nipah" + - "Deep mutational scanning" + - "Pseudovirus" +selected: true +--- + +## Abstract + +Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic virus in the family _Paramyxoviridae_ that utilizes two distinct surface glycoproteins to infect cells. The receptor-binding protein (RBP) binds host receptors whereas the fusion protein (F) merges viral and host membranes. Here, we use non-replicative pseudoviruses to safely measure the effects of all F single amino-acid residue mutations on its cell entry function and neutralization by monoclonal antibodies. We compare mutational tolerance in F with previous experimental measurements for RBP and show that F is much more functionally constrained than the RBP. We also identify mutationally intolerant sites on the F trimer surface and core that are critical for proper function, and describe mutations that are candidates for stabilizing F in the prefusion conformation for vaccine design. We quantify how F mutations affect neutralization by six monoclonal antibodies, and show that the magnitude of mutational effects on neutralization varies among antibodies. Our measurements of mutational effects on Nipah virus F predict the ability of the antibodies to neutralize the related Hendra virus. Overall, our work defines the functional and antigenic constraints on the F protein from an important zoonotic virus. + +## Interactive visualizations +The results described in this paper can be interactively visualized at [https://dms-vep.org/Nipah_Malaysia_F_DMS/](https://dms-vep.org/Nipah_Malaysia_F_DMS/) diff --git a/public/assets/papers/2025_larsen_f.jpg b/public/assets/papers/2025_larsen_f.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04086d7 Binary files /dev/null and b/public/assets/papers/2025_larsen_f.jpg differ