title: The receptor binding domain of the new Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus maps to a 231-residue region in the spike protein that efficiently elicits neutralizing antibodies.
abstract: The spike (S) protein of the recently emerged human Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) mediates infection by binding to the cellular receptor dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). Here we mapped the receptor binding domain in the S protein to a 231-amino-acid fragment (residues 358 to 588) by evaluating the interaction of spike truncation variants with receptor-expressing cells and soluble DPP4. Antibodies to this domain--much less so those to the preceding N-terminal region--efficiently neutralize MERS-CoV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Virology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Huihui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.forename: V Stalin
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Frank J M
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van Kuppeveld
authors.forename: Peter J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rottier
authors.forename: Bart L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Haagmans
authors.forename: Berend Jan
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D053585:Virus Attachment
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV; C578553:spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus; C042807:DPP4 protein, human; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4