Globally defining the effects of mutations in a picornavirus capsid

The capsids of non-enveloped viruses are highly multimeric and multifunctional protein assemblies that play key roles in viral biology and pathogenesis. Despite their importance, a comprehensive understanding of how mutations affect viral fitness across different structural and functional attributes of the capsid is lacking. To address this limitation, we globally define the effects of mutations across the capsid of a human picornavirus. Using this resource, we identify structural and sequence determinants that accurately predict mutational fitness effects, refine evolutionary analyses, and define the sequence specificity of key capsid-encoded motifs. Furthermore, capitalizing on the derived sequence requirements for capsid-encoded protease cleavage sites, we implement a bioinformatic approach for identifying novel host proteins targeted by viral proteases. Our findings represent the most comprehensive investigation of mutational fitness effects in a picornavirus capsid to date and illuminate important aspects of viral biology, evolution, and host interactions.Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Gobierno de España: BFU2017-86094-R / RYC-2015-17517 / BES-2016-076677. In addition, the authors would like to acknowledge the use of the Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF) server which was cofinanced by the European Union through the Operativa Program of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) of the Comunitat Valenciana 2014–2020.Peer reviewe