Attachment of mouse hepatitis virus to O-acetylated sialic acid is mediated by hemagglutinin-esterase and not by the spike protein.
The members of Betacoronavirus phylocluster A possess two types of surface projections, one comprised of the spike protein (S) and the other of hemagglutinin-esterase (HE). Purportedly, these viruses bind to O-acetylated sialic acids (O-Ac-Sias) primarily through S, with HE serving merely as receptor-destroying enzyme. Here, we show that, in apparent contrast to human and ungulate host range variants of Betacoronavirus-1, murine coronaviruses actually bind to O-Ac-Sias via HE exclusively. Apparently, expansion of group A betacoronaviruses into new hosts and niches was accompanied by changes in HE ligand and substrate preference and in the roles of HE and S in Sia receptor usage.
Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, Netherlands.
Martijn A
MA
Langereis
Arno L W
AL
van Vliet
Willemijn
W
Boot
Raoul J
RJ
de Groot
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053585:Virus Attachment
D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; C060814:hemagglutinin esterase; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid