Déborah Delaune

Oct 25, 2023 | nature.com | Nell Saunders |Cyril Planchais |Vincent Michel |Françoise Porrot |Catherine Blanc |Déborah Delaune | +4 more

AbstractFour endemic seasonal human coronaviruses causing common colds, HKU1, 229E, NL63 and OC43 circulate worldwide1. After binding to cellular receptors, coronavirus spike proteins are primed for fusion by transmembrane-serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) or endosomal cathepsins2-9. NL63 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor10, whereas 229E uses human aminopeptidase-N11. HKU1 and OC43 spikes bind cells through 9-O40 acelytated sialic acid but their protein receptors remain unknown12.