Virus glycoprotein nanodisc platform for vaccine analytics

K Kimmo Rantalainen (International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute) A Alessia Liguori G Gabriel Ozorowski C Claudia Flynn J Jon M. Steichen O Olivia M. Swanson P Patrick J. Madden S Sabyasachi Baboo S Swastik Phulera A Anant Gharpure D Danny Lu O Oleksandr Kalyuzhniy P Patrick Skog S Sierra Terada (Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute) M Monolina Shil J Jolene K. Diedrich E Erik Georgeson R Ryan Tingle S Saman Eskandarzadeh (Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute) W Wen-Hsin Lee N Nushin Alavi D Diana Goodwin M Michael Kubitz (Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute) S Sonya Amirzehni (Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute) S Sunny Himansu D Devin Sok J Jeong Hyun Lee J John R. Yates J James C. Paulson S Shane Crotty T Torben Schiffner A Andrew B. Ward W William R. Schief

Abstract

Abstract Transmembrane glycoproteins of enveloped viruses are targets of neutralizing antibodies and essential vaccine antigens. mRNA-LNP technology allows in vivo expression of transmembrane glycoproteins, but in vitro biophysical characterization of transmembrane antigens and analysis of post-immunization antibody responses typically rely on soluble proteins. Here, we present a platform for assembling transmembrane glycoprotein vaccine candidates into lipid nanodiscs. We demonstrate the utility of nanodiscs in HIV membrane proximal external region (MPER)-targeting vaccine development by binding assays using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), ex vivo B cell sorting with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and by determining the structure of a prototypical HIV MPER-targeting immunogen nanodisc in complex with three broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), including MPER bnAb 10E8, to 3.5 Å by cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), providing a template for structure-based immunogen design. To demonstrate general applicability we characterize Ebola virus glycoprotein nanodiscs. Overall, the platform offers a tool for accelerating development of next-generation vaccines.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 17, Issue 1
Published February 10, 2026
ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher Nature Portfolio

Journal Info

Nature Communications

Nature Portfolio

ISSN: 2041-1723 Open Access Life Sciences

Authors (33)

K

Kimmo Rantalainen

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute

A

Alessia Liguori

G

Gabriel Ozorowski

C

Claudia Flynn

J

Jon M. Steichen

O

Olivia M. Swanson

P

Patrick J. Madden

S

Sabyasachi Baboo

S

Swastik Phulera

A

Anant Gharpure

D

Danny Lu

O

Oleksandr Kalyuzhniy

P

Patrick Skog

S

Sierra Terada

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute

M

Monolina Shil

J

Jolene K. Diedrich

E

Erik Georgeson

R

Ryan Tingle

S

Saman Eskandarzadeh

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute

W

Wen-Hsin Lee

N

Nushin Alavi

D

Diana Goodwin

M

Michael Kubitz

Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute

S

Sonya Amirzehni

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute

S

Sunny Himansu

D

Devin Sok

J

Jeong Hyun Lee

J

John R. Yates

J

James C. Paulson

S

Shane Crotty

T

Torben Schiffner

A

Andrew B. Ward

W

William R. Schief