Structure of the Lassa virus glycan shield provides a model for immunological resistance
Watanabe Y., Raghwani J., Allen JD., Seabright GE., Li S., Moser F., Huiskonen JT., Strecker T., Bowden TA., Crispin M.
Significance Lassa virus is a highly pathogenic arenavirus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Currently, there are no efficacious vaccines or treatments available to combat this pathogen. An important component of any vaccine candidate against Lassa virus will likely include the highly glycosylated glycoprotein complex presented on the virion surface. Here, we determine the composition of the Lassa virus glycome, revealing that the virus presents an abundance of glycans that are not biosynthetically processed to full maturity. Such underprocessed glycans form spatially distinct clusters, which shield the proteinous surface of the Lassa virus glycoprotein spike from the humoral immune response. These data are integral for the development of humoral-based vaccines that mimic the mature Lassa virion.