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Published on: June 14, 2022
Expanding diversity of glycan receptor usage by rotaviruses
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St., Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
Abstract:
Rotaviruses are major etiologic agents of severe gastroenteritis in human and animals, infecting the mature intestinal epithelium. Their attachment to host cell glycans is mediated through the virion spike protein. This is considered to be crucial for successful host cell invasion by rotaviruses. Recent studies have greatly expanded our understanding of the diversity of glycans commonly recognized by rotaviruses, to include the ganglioside GM1a and histo-blood group antigens. Here, these new findings are integrated with advances in knowledge of spike protein structure, rotavirus entry mechanisms and innate intestinal immunity to provide an overview of the variety of rotavirus glycan receptors and their roles in cell penetration, host tropism and pathogenesis.
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