Biochemical Analysis of Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Conformational Intermediates during Membrane Fusion.

ABSTRACT: A fusion protein expressed on the surface of enveloped viruses mediates fusion of the viral and cellular membranes to facilitate virus infection. Pre- and postfusion structures of viral fusion proteins have been characterized, but conformational changes between them remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the intermediate conformation of the murine coronavirus fusion protein, called the spike protein, which must be cleaved by a cellular protease following receptor binding. Western blot analysis of protease digestion products revealed that two subunits (67 and 69 kDa) are produced from a single spike protein (180 kDa). These two subunits were considered to be by-products derived from conformational changes and were useful for probing the intermediate conformation of the spike protein. I

SUBMITTER: Kawase M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6744234 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature