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ABSTRACT: Importance
Lassa virus is a devastating disease-causing agent in West Africa, with a significant yearly death toll and severe long-term complications associated with its infection in survivors. In recent years, we learned that Lassa virus needs to switch receptors in a pH-dependent manner to efficiently infect cells, but neither the molecular mechanisms that allow switching nor the actual effects of switching were known. Here we investigate the activity of the viral spike complex after abrogation of its ability to switch receptors. These studies inform us about the role of switching receptors and provide new insights into how the spike senses acidic pH.
SUBMITTER: Cohen-Dvashi H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5105667 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Cohen-Dvashi Hadas H Israeli Hadar H Shani Orly O Katz Aliza A Diskin Ron R
Journal of virology 20161028 22
To effectively infect cells, Lassa virus needs to switch in an endosomal compartment from its primary receptor, α-dystroglycan, to a protein termed LAMP1. A unique histidine triad on the surface of the receptor-binding domain from the glycoprotein spike complex of Lassa virus is important for LAMP1 binding. Here we investigate mutated spikes that have an impaired ability to interact with LAMP1 and show that although LAMP1 is important for efficient infectivity, it is not required for spike-media ...[more]