Abstract
Provided herein are a mutant envelope protein of Zika virus and a nucleic acid molecule including a nucleotide sequence encoding the mutant envelope protein. The mutant envelope protein, which preferably has a threonine substitution at 105th position, or an asparagine substitution at 248th position and a threonine substitution at 250th position in an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, includes an N-glycan masking a fusion loop region of the mutant envelope protein of Zika virus. Also provided herein is a vaccine composition, including the mutant envelope protein or a recombinant virus including the nucleic acid molecule. Also provided herein is a method of preventing Zika virus infection and reducing antibody-dependent enhancement of dengue virus infection, including administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a vaccine composition including the mutant envelope protein of Zika virus.