The fusogenic state of Mayaro virus induced by low pH and by hydrostatic pressure

Mayaro virus is an enveloped virus that belongs to the Alphavirus genus. To gain insight into the mechanism involved in Mayaro virus membrane fusion, we used hydrostatic pressure and low pH to isolate a fusion-active state of Mayaro glycoproteins. In response to pressure, El glycoprotein undergoes structural changes resulting in the formation of a stable conformation. This state was characterized and correlated to that induced by low pH as measured by intrinsic fluorescence, 4,4'-dianilino-1,1'-binaphthyl-5,5'-disulfonic acid, dipotassium salt fluorescence, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, electron microscopy, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In parallel, we used a neutralization assay to show that Mayaro virus in the fusogenic state retained most of the original immunogenic properties and could elicit high titers of neutralizing antibodies.