Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Production of Pseudotyped Particles to Study Highly Pathogenic Coronaviruses in a Biosafety Level 2 Setting
Published on: March 1, 2019
A Conserved Receptor-Binding Domain in the VP1u of Primate Erythroparvoviruses Determines the Marked Tropism for
Cornelia Bircher1, Jan Bieri1, Ruben Assaraf1
1Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a human pathogen with a marked tropism for erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs). The N-terminal of the VP1 unique region (VP1u) contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD), which mediates virus uptake through interaction with an as-yet-unknown receptor (VP1uR). Considering the central role of VP1uR in the virus tropism, we sought to investigate its expression profile in multiple cell types. To this end, we established a PP7 bacteriophage-VP1u bioconjugate, sharing the size and VP1u composition of native B19V capsids. The suitability of the PP7-VP1u construct as a specific and sensitive VP1uR expression marker was validated in competition assays with B19V and recombinant VP1u. VP1uR expression was exclusively detected in erythroid cells and cells reprogrammed towards the erythroid lineage. Sequence alignment and in silico protein structure prediction of the N-terminal of VP1u (N-VP1u) from B19V and other primate erythroparvoviruses (simian, rhesus, and pig-tailed) revealed a similar structure characterized by a fold of three or four α-helices. Functional studies with simian parvovirus confirmed the presence of a conserved RBD in the N-VP1u, mediating virus internalization into human erythroid cells. In summary, this study confirms the exclusive association of VP1uR expression with cells of the erythroid lineage. The presence of an analogous RBD in the VP1u from non-human primate erythroparvoviruses emphasizes their parallel evolutionary trait and zoonotic potential.
More Related Videos
07:06Prediction of HIV-1 Coreceptor Usage Tropism by Sequence Analysis using a Genotypic Approach
Published on: December 1, 2011
10:50Assessment of Immunologically Relevant Dynamic Tertiary Structural Features of the HIV-1 V3 Loop Crown R2 Sequence by ab initio Folding
Published on: September 15, 2010
Related Concept Videos
Leaky Scanning
Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses
Rab Proteins
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...
Receptor-mediated Endocytosis
Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis of LDL
One well-characterized example of receptor-mediated endocytosis is the...
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive EGFR...