Cryo-EM analysis of the post-fusion structure of the SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein
Open Access
- 17 July 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Communications
- Vol. 11 (1), 1-10
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17371-6
Abstract
Global emergencies caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 significantly endanger human health. The spike (S) glycoprotein is the key antigen and its conserved S2 subunit contributes to viral entry by mediating host-viral membrane fusion. However, structural information of the post-fusion S2 from these highly pathogenic human-infecting coronaviruses is still lacking. We used single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to show that the post-fusion SARS-CoV S2 forms a further rotated HR1-HR2 six-helix bundle and a tightly bound linker region upstream of the HR2 motif. The structures of pre- and post-fusion SARS-CoV S glycoprotein dramatically differ, resembling that of the Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and other class I viral fusion proteins. This structure suggests potential targets for the development of vaccines and therapies against a wide range of SARS-like coronaviruses.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (31900871, 31900871, 31570874)
- Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
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