Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cellular infection by coronaviruses has become imperative. A critical stage in cell entry by the SARS-CoV-2 virus occurs when its Spike protein mediates fusion between viral and host membranes. Recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, we presented a detailed investigation of the role of selected regions of the Spike protein, and the influence of calcium and cholesterol, in this fusion process.
Publication: Strikingly Different Roles of SARS-CoV-2 Fusion Peptides Uncovered by Neutron Scattering, A. Santamaria et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144 2968 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c09856