Publications by authors named "Maria F Lay Mendoza"
Ebola virus (EBOV) attaches to target cells using two categories of cell surface receptors: C-type lectins and phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors. PS receptors typically bind to apoptotic cell membrane PS and orchestrate the uptake and clearance of apoptotic debris. Many enveloped viruses also contain exposed PS and can therefore exploit these receptors for cell entry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the most recent global pandemic that has caused more than a million deaths around the world. The spike glycoprotein (S) drives the entry and fusion of this virus and is the main determinant of cell tropism. To explore S requirements for entry under BSL2 conditions, S has been pseudotyped onto vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) or retroviral particles with varied success.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Viral entry is the initial step in the replication cycle of enveloped viruses, facilitated by specific viral glycoproteins with varying receptor affinities.
- The study utilized vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to assess the entry efficiencies of different glycoproteins, including those from SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Lassa, and Chikungunya, by creating recombinant VSV viruses that express these proteins.
- Utilizing a reporter gene and live-cell substrates, the research revealed that glycoproteins needing more priming generally resulted in slower entry times, while also enabling the analysis of receptor preferences and endocytosis mechanisms for a better understanding of viral entry.