Structural and functional significance of Aedes aegypti AgBR1 flavivirus immunomodulator

Abstract

Our study informs on the structural and functional significance of a mosquito salivary gland protein, AgBR1 (along with another protein called NeSt1), in the transmission of the Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne virus that has caused global health concerns. By analyzing AgBR1’s three-dimensional structure in combination with cellular and interaction studies, we discovered that AgBR1 does not function like typical proteins in its family—it does not degrade sugars. However, we show that it primes immune cells in a way that could help the virus enter cells more easily but not by interacting with the virus or altering viral replication. This finding is significant because it reveals how mosquito proteins, repurposed by evolution, can influence virus transmission without the virus’s direct presence. Understanding how proteins like AgBR1 work could guide the development of new strategies to prevent Zika virus spread, with potential relevance for other mosquito-borne viruses.