Proteomics Computational Analyses Suggest That the Envelope Glycoproteins of Segmented Jingmen Flavi-Like Viruses are Class II Viral Fusion Proteins (b-Penetrenes) with Mucin-Like Domains

Jingmen viruses are newly described segmented flavi-like viruses that have a worldwide distribution in ticks and have been associated with febrile illnesses in humans. Computational analyses were used to predict that Jingmen flavi-like virus glycoproteins have structural features of class II viral fusion proteins, including an ectodomain consisting of beta-sheets and short alpha-helices, a fusion peptide with interfacial hydrophobicity and a three-domain architecture. Jingmen flavi-like virus glycoproteins have a sequence enriched in serine, threonine, and proline at the amino terminus, which is a feature of mucin-like domains. Several of the serines and threonines are predicted be modified by the addition of O-linked glycans. Some of the glycoproteins are predicted to have an additional mucin-like domain located prior to the transmembrane anchor, whereas others are predicted to have a stem consisting of two alpha-helices. The flavivirus envelope protein and Jingmen flavi-virus glycoproteins may have diverged from a common class II precursor glycoprotein with a mucin-like domain or domains acquired after divergence.