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3 weeks ago | 
biorxiv.org | Amin Addetia |Lisa Perruzza |Young-Jun Park |Matthew McCallum
AbstractMarburg virus (MARV) is a filovirus that causes a severe and often lethal hemorrhagic fever. Despite the increasing frequency of MARV outbreaks, no vaccines or therapeutics are licensed for use in humans. Here, we designed mutations that improve the expression and thermostability of the prefusion MARV glycoprotein (GP) ectodomain trimer, which is the sole target of neutralizing antibodies and vaccines in development.
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Feb 19, 2025 | 
biorxiv.org | Chen Liu |Young-Jun Park |Cheng-Bao Ma |Cameron Stuart
AbstractDipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) is a well-established receptor for several MERS-related coronaviruses (MERSr-CoVs) isolated from humans, camels, pangolins, and bats. However, the receptor usage of many genetically diverse bat MERSr-CoVs with broad geographical distributions remains poorly understood. Recent studies have identified angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as an entry receptor for multiple merbecovirus clades.
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Jan 15, 2025 | 
biorxiv.org | Risako Gen |Amin Addetia |Daniel Asarnow |Young-Jun Park
AbstractSARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) promotes innate immune evasion by inhibiting host translation in human cells. However, the role of nsp1 in other host species remains elusive, especially in bats which are natural reservoirs of sarbecoviruses and possess a markedly different innate immune system than humans. Here, we reveal that SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 potently inhibits translation in bat cells from Rhinolophus lepidus, belonging to the same genus as known sarbecovirus reservoirs hosts.
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Aug 28, 2024 | 
biorxiv.org | Young-Jun Park |Chen Liu |Jimin Lee |Jack Brown
AbstractDPP4 was considered a canonical receptor for merbecoviruses until the recent discovery of African bat-borne MERS-related coronaviruses using ACE2. The extent and diversity with which merbecoviruses engage ACE2 and their receptor species tropism remain unknown. Here, we reveal that HKU5 enters host cells utilizing Pipistrellus abramus (P.abr) and several non-bat mammalian ACE2s through a binding mode distinct from that of any other known ACE2-using coronaviruses.
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Jun 27, 2024 | 
nature.com | Cameron Stewart |Alexandra Schafer |Young-Jun Park |John Powers |Davide Corti |Ralph S Baric | +1 more
AbstractEvolution of SARS-CoV-2 alters the antigenicity of the immunodominant spike (S) receptor-binding domain and N-terminal domain, undermining the efficacy of vaccines and antibody therapies. To overcome this challenge, we set out to develop a vaccine focusing antibody responses on the highly conserved but metastable S2 subunit, which folds as a spring-loaded fusion machinery.
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Apr 17, 2024 | 
nature.com | Young-Jun Park |Kevin Cutler |Kyle L. Asfahl |Larry Gallagher |Frank DiMaio |Dapeng Zhang | +2 more
AbstractStreptomyces are a genus of ubiquitous soil bacteria from which the majority of clinically utilized antibiotics derive1. The production of these antibacterial molecules reflects the relentless competition Streptomyces engage in with other bacteria, including other Streptomyces species1,2. Here we show that in addition to small-molecule antibiotics, Streptomyces produce and secrete antibacterial protein complexes that feature a large, degenerate repeat-containing polymorphic toxin protein.
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Apr 1, 2024 | 
biorxiv.org | Young-Jun Park |Daniel Asarnow |Megi Rexhepaj |Lisa Perruzza
AbstractPorcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) spillovers were recently detected in children with acute undifferentiated febrile illness, underscoring recurrent zoonoses of divergent coronaviruses. To date, no vaccines or specific therapeutics are approved for use in humans against PDCoV.
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Mar 28, 2024 | 
mdpi.com | Young-Jun Park |Chang-Yong Yi
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon. Open AccessArticlebyYoung-Jun ParkYoung-Jun ParkScilitPreprints.orgGoogle Scholar and Chang-Yong YiChang-Yong YiScilitPreprints.orgGoogle Scholar * Intelligent Construction Automation Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Appl. Sci.
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Jan 29, 2024 | 
mdpi.com | Seong-Jun Kim |Young-Jun Park |Seo-Jung Byeon |Jin-Kam Park
All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No specialpermission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. Forarticles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused withoutpermission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer tohttps://www.mdpi.com/openaccess.
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Jan 9, 2024 | 
biorxiv.org | Matthew McCallum |Young-Jun Park |Cameron Stewart |Kaitlin R Sprouse
AbstractThe human coronavirus HKU1 spike (S) glycoprotein engages host cell surface sialoglycans and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) to initiate infection. The molecular basis of HKU1 binding to TMPRSS2 and determinants of host receptor tropism remain elusive. Here, we designed an active human TMPRSS2 construct enabling high-yield recombinant production in human cells of this key therapeutic target.
