In:
Journal of Virology, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 89, No. 17 ( 2015-09), p. 9119-9123
Abstract:
To understand how Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) transmitted from bats to humans, we compared the virus surface spikes of MERS-CoV and a related bat coronavirus, HKU4. Although HKU4 spike cannot mediate viral entry into human cells, two mutations enabled it to do so by allowing it to be activated by human proteases. These mutations are present in MERS-CoV spike, explaining why MERS-CoV infects human cells. These mutations therefore played critical roles in the bat-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV, either directly or through intermediate hosts.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0022-538X
,
1098-5514
DOI:
10.1128/JVI.01279-15
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Microbiology
Publication Date:
2015
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1495529-5
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