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Title: Central ions and lateral asparagine/glutamine zippers stabilize the post-fusion hairpin conformation of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein

Journal Article · · Virology
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [2]
  1. Laboratoire de Virologie Moleculaire and Structurale, UMR 2472/1157 CNRS-INRA and IFR 115, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)
  2. Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht (Netherlands)

The coronavirus spike glycoprotein is a class I membrane fusion protein with two characteristic heptad repeat regions (HR1 and HR2) in its ectodomain. Here, we report the X-ray structure of a previously characterized HR1/HR2 complex of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein. As expected, the HR1 and HR2 segments are organized in antiparallel orientations within a rod-like molecule. The HR1 helices form an exceptionally long (120 A) internal coiled coil stabilized by hydrophobic and polar interactions. A striking arrangement of conserved asparagine and glutamine residues of HR1 propagates from two central chloride ions, providing hydrogen-bonding 'zippers' that strongly constrain the path of the HR2 main chain, forcing it to adopt an extended conformation at either end of a short HR2 {alpha}-helix.

OSTI ID:
20726026
Journal Information:
Virology, Vol. 335, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2005.02.022; PII: S0042-6822(05)00120-0; Copyright (c) 2005 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0042-6822
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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