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Glycoproteins in Viruses.
Soledad Stagnoli1, Nicola G A Abrescia2,3,4
1Structure and Cell Biology of Viruses Lab, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Bizkaia, Spain.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|August 1, 2025
Summary
Viral glycoproteins, decorated with glycans, undergo structural changes for host cell entry. Understanding these glycosylated viral proteins is key for developing new antiviral therapies and vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Structural Biology
- Glycobiology
Background:
- Viral glycoproteins are essential components of many viruses, often decorated with sugar moieties (glycans).
- These glycosylated proteins undergo significant structural rearrangements during the viral life cycle, particularly for host membrane fusion.
- Structural classification categorizes viral glycoproteins into classes I, II, and III based on their protein fold.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the tertiary structures of viral glycoproteins, focusing on the role of attached glycans.
- To highlight the importance of understanding glycan presence, structure, and function in viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on viral glycoprotein structures.
- Analysis of structural data obtained from X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.
Main Results:
- Viral glycoproteins exhibit diverse tertiary structures, classified into three main classes.
- Glycans decorating viral glycoproteins play crucial roles in viral infection dynamics.
- Structural rearrangements are fundamental for viral fusion and entry processes.
Conclusions:
- Deciphering the role of glycans on viral glycoproteins is critical for antiviral drug and vaccine development.
- Glyco-engineering of viruses offers potential strategies to modulate viral tropism and host immune responses.
Keywords:
Cryogenic electron microscopyFusionGlycansThree-dimensional structureViral proteinsVirusX-ray crystallographyMore Related Videos
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