Structure, function, and evolution of coronavirus spike proteins
F Li - Annual review of virology, 2016 - annualreviews.org
The coronavirus spike protein is a multifunctional molecular machine that mediates
coronavirus entry into host cells. It first binds to a receptor on the host cell surface through its
S1 subunit and then fuses viral and host membranes through its S2 subunit. Two domains in
S1 from different coronaviruses recognize a variety of host receptors, leading to viral
attachment. The spike protein exists in two structurally distinct conformations, prefusion and
postfusion. The transition from prefusion to postfusion conformation of the spike protein must …
coronavirus entry into host cells. It first binds to a receptor on the host cell surface through its
S1 subunit and then fuses viral and host membranes through its S2 subunit. Two domains in
S1 from different coronaviruses recognize a variety of host receptors, leading to viral
attachment. The spike protein exists in two structurally distinct conformations, prefusion and
postfusion. The transition from prefusion to postfusion conformation of the spike protein must …