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Cited by 412

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 8 of the 8 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Glycan shield and epitope masking of a coronavirus spike protein observed by cryo-electron microscopy

Open access
Walls, Alexandra C, Tortorici, M Alejandra, Frenz, Brandon, Snijder, Joost, Li, Wentao, Rey, Félix A, DiMaio, Frank, Bosch, Berend-Jan, Veesler, David·2016·Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

Abstract

The threat of a major coronavirus pandemic urges the development of strategies to combat these pathogens. Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) is an α-coronavirus that can cause severe lower-respiratory-tract infections requiring hospitalization. We report here the 3.4-Å-resolution cryo-EM reconstruction of the HCoV-NL63 coronavirus spike glycoprotein trimer, which mediates entry into host cells and is the main target of neutralizing antibodies during infection. The map resolves the extensive glycan shield obstructing the protein surface and, in combination with mass spectrometry, provides a structural framework to understand the accessibility to antibodies. The structure reveals the complete architecture of the fusion machinery including the triggering loop and the C-terminal domains, which contribute to anchoring the trimer to the viral membrane. Our data further suggest that HCoV-NL63 and other coronaviruses use molecular trickery, based on epitope masking with glycans and activating conformational changes, to evade the immune system of infected hosts.

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Metadata

Authors
Walls, A. C., Tortorici, M. A., Frenz, B., Snijder, J., Li, W., Rey, F. A., DiMaio, F., Bosch, B.-J., & Veesler, D.
Venue
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Published
2016-09-12
Volume
23
Issue
10
Pages
899-905
ISSN
  • 1545-9985 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-9993
OpenAlex
W2520033800
Cited by
412
References
8
FWCI
19.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
bronze

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Glycan shield and epitope masking of a coronavirus spike protein observed by cryo-electron microscopy. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1038/nsmb.3293
The paper
Walls, A. C., Tortorici, M. A., Frenz, B., Snijder, J., Li, W., Rey, F. A., DiMaio, F., Bosch, B.-J., & Veesler, D. (2016). Glycan shield and epitope masking of a coronavirus spike protein observed by cryo-electron microscopy. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb.3293

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