biostudies-literatureUnknown327Castillo GHuman coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) is spread globally, causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections mainly in young children. HCoV-NL63 shares a host receptor (ACE2) with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 but, unlike them, HCoV-NL63 primarily develops into self-limiting mild to moderate respiratory disease. Although with different efficiency, both HCoV-NL63 and SARS-like CoVs infect ciliated respiratory cells using ACE2 as receptor for binding and cell entry. Working with SARS-like CoVs require access to BSL-3 facilities, while HCoV-NL63 research can be performed at BSL-2 laboratories. Thus, HCoV-NL63 could be used as a safer surrogate for comparative studies on receptor dynamics, infectivity and virus replication, disease mechanism, and potentVirus research199078https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9944649biostudies-literatureMolecular mechanisms of human coronavirus NL63 infection and replication.PMC9944649Breuer MSingh PNelli RKGimenez-Lirola LGMora-Diaz JCCastillo GfalseMolecular mechanisms of human coronavirus NL63 infection and replication.Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) is spread globally, causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections mainly in young children. HCoV-NL63 shares a host receptor (ACE2) with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 but, unlike them, HCoV-NL63 primarily develops into self-limiting mild to moderate respiratory disease. Although with different efficiency, both HCoV-NL63 and SARS-like CoVs infect ciliated respiratory cells using ACE2 as receptor for binding and cell entry. Working with SARS-like CoVs require access to BSL-3 facilities, while HCoV-NL63 research can be performed at BSL-2 laboratories. Thus, HCoV-NL63 could be used as a safer surrogate for comparative studies on receptor dynamics, infectivity and virus replication, disease mechanism, and potent2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Apr2025-04-04T14:17:06.237Z2025-02-19T02:23:52.358ZS-EPMC99446493681323910.1016/j.virusres.2023.199078