title: An N-linked glycoprotein with alpha(2,3)-linked sialic acid is a receptor for BK virus.
abstract: BK virus (BKV) is a common human polyomavirus infecting >80% of the population worldwide. Infection with BKV is asymptomatic, but reactivation in renal transplant recipients can lead to polyomavirus-associated nephropathy. In this report, we show that enzymatic removal of alpha(2,3)-linked sialic acid from cells inhibited BKV infection. Reconstitution of asialo cells with alpha(2,3)-specific sialyltransferase restored susceptibility to infection. Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation with tunicamycin reduced infection, but inhibition of O-linked glycosylation did not. An O-linked-specific alpha(2,3)-sialyltransferase was unable to restore infection in asialo cells. Taken together, these data indicate that an N-linked glycoprotein containing alpha(2,3)-linked sialic acid is a critical component of the cellular receptor for BKV.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Pathobiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Aisling S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dugan
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eash
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Atwood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D009439:Neuraminidase; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014415:Tunicamycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D014415:Tunicamycin; D012799:Sialyltransferases; D009439:Neuraminidase; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid