Cyanovirin-N binds to select SARS-CoV-2 spike oligosaccharides outside of the receptor binding domain and blocks infection by SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped positive stranded RNA virus which has caused the recent deadly pandemic called COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virion is coated with a heavily glycosylated Spike glycoprotein which is responsible for attachment and entry into target cells. One, as yet unexploited strategy for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections, is the targeting of the glycans on Spike. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins produced by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Some lectins can neutralize enveloped viruses displaying external glycoproteins, offering an alternative therapeutic approach for the prevention of infection with virulent β-coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2. Here we show that the cyanobacterial lectin cyanovirin-N (CV-N) can selectively

SUBMITTER: Munoz-Basagoiti J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10013841 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature