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The prefusion structure of the HERV-K (HML-2) Env spike complex
Ron Shaked1, Michael Katz1, Hadas Cohen-Dvashi1
1Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
None:
The human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) is a retrovirus that got assimilated into the human genome in ancient times and has been inherited in our germline ever since. It enters cells using a class-I spike protein (Env) that mediates receptor recognition and membrane fusion. On top of having a biological role during development, HERV-K is activated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, various cancers, and other pathological conditions. Antibodies that target the HERV-K spike complex have therapeutic value, flagging the spike as a novel drug target. Here, we use cryo-EM to determine the trimeric structure of the HERV-K spike. The spike presents a distinct structure, which substantially differs from other class-I fusogens. Nevertheless, some general architectural features suggest a common origin with other retroviruses. The ability to structurally characterize the HERV-K spike may facilitate the development of antibody-based therapies.
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