Download MendeleyEarly fusion intermediate of ACE2-using coronavirus spike acting as an antiviral target.
Xing, L., Liu, Z., Wang, X., Liu, Q., Xu, W., Mao, Q., Zhang, X., Hao, A., Xia, S., Liu, Z., Sun, L., Zhang, G., Wang, Q., Chen, Z., Jiang, S., Sun, L., Lu, L.(2025) Cell 188: 1297-1314.e24
- PubMed: 39889696
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.01.012
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
8Z3W, 8Z4X, 8Z64, 8Z6A, 8Z7B, 8Z7G, 8Z7L, 8Z7P - PubMed Abstract:
Coronavirus fusion with and entry into the host cell depends on viral spike, which acts as a crucial component of viral infection. However, the lack of receptor-activated spike intermediate conformation has hindered a comprehensive understanding of spike-induced membrane fusion. Here, we captured an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-induced early fusion intermediate conformation (E-FIC) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike in which heptad repeat 1 (HR1) in S2 has ejected while S1 remains attached. This E-FIC can transition to the late FIC after S2' cleavage. Leveraging this discovery, we designed an E-FIC-targeted dual-functional antiviral protein, AL5E. AL5E effectively inactivated ACE2-using coronaviruses and inhibited their infection, outperforming a mono-functional antiviral in protecting animals against these coronaviruses. This study has identified the E-FIC and used it as a target for the development of a dual-functional antiviral for the prevention and treatment of ACE2-using coronavirus infection.
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Organizational Affiliation:
