Structural flexibility in the Hepatitis C virus glycoprotein complex as viral strategy to evade the humoral immune system (B10)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: from 2016 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 158989968

The majority of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients fails to clear the virus during the acute phase and conformational flexibility in the glycoprotein E2 was proposed to serve as mechanism to evade from neutralizing antibodies. In this project, we aim to determine the 3D structure of the conformationally flexible epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies in the context of the native glycoprotein complex. Furthermore, we will characterize the antibody response of HCV infected patients to these conformationally flexible epitopes.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 900: Chronic Infections: Microbial Persistence and its Control
• Major Instrumentation: Molekül Interaktions Analysegerät
• Instrumentation Group: 3560 Warburg-Apparaturen, Zellstoffwechsel-Analysengeräte
• Applicant Institution: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Thomas Krey