Hongming Ma

Jan 3, 2024 | nature.com | Hongming Ma |Lucas Adams |Daved H. Fremont

AbstractMembers of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family, including LDLRAD3, VLDLR, and ApoER2, were recently described as entry factors for different alphaviruses. However, based on studies with gene edited cells and knockout mice, blockade or abrogation of these receptors does not fully inhibit alphavirus infection, indicating the existence of additional uncharacterized entry factors.

Nov 15, 2023 | biorxiv.org | Lucas Adams |Saravanan Raju |Hongming Ma |Theron Gilliland

AbstractThe very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) is comprised of eight LDLR type A (LA) domains and supports entry of distantly related Eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV) and Semliki Forest (SFV) alphaviruses. Here, by resolving multiple cryo-electron microscopy structures of EEEV-VLDLR complexes and performing mutagenesis and functional studies, we show that EEEV uses multiple sites (E1/E2 cleft and E2 A domain) to engage different LA domains simultaneously.