Virion Protein 24 of Ebola Virus as a Potential Drug Target

The virion protein 24 of ebola Virus is multifunctional protein. The virion protein of ebola Virus plays imperative roles in the virus life cycle. The objective of the present study was to identify the residue conservation in the virion protein 24 of various ebola viruses. The study was based on 173 sequences from Bundibugyo, Sudan, Tai Forest, Zaire and Reston ebola viruses. The virion protein 24 showed higher level of sequence conservation. On the whole, this study exposed residues which are universally conserved among different viral species. These universally conserved residues might be involved in either structure stabilizing or protein-protein interactions. The conserved residues identified in the present study in conjunction with structural analysis of virion protein 24 identified novel binding sites: Ile157, Ile161, Leu164; Leu164, Leu167; Leu150, Ile161; Ala99, Ile161; Asp205, Ser207; Phe76, His78 and Glu46, Asp48. The present study could form basis for designing universal anti-ebola drugs which are resistant to mutations arising in the future