Ebola Virus GP Proteins

The Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein (GP) is the sole protein displayed on the virion surface and the fusion machine of viral entry. The GP gene yields full-length GP only through transcriptional editing; the precursor is cleaved by furin during transport into the mature GP1-GP2 heterodimer that assembles into trimers. The heavily glycosylated GP1 subunit, including its mucin-like domain, mediates attachment and, after endosomal cathepsin trimming, binds the intracellular receptor NPC1, while GP2 executes membrane fusion. As the only surface antigen, GP is the immunogen of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine and the target of the approved antibody therapeutics Inmazeb and Ebanga. Recombinant GP ectodomain and trimer constructs are core reagents for pseudotype entry assays, neutralization testing, and vaccine quality control.